Melissa Marie Benoist (born October 4, 1988)^[1] is an American actress and singer. Benoist is starring in the Fox Broadcasting Company television series Glee as newcomer Marley Rose. She made her debut in the season four premiere "The New Rachel". Aside from her role on Glee, she has appeared in a number of television series including Homeland, The Good Wife and Law & Order. Benoist's first film was in singer Mariah Carey's Tennessee.^[2] She appears in a stunning new film by director Damien Chazelle, Whiplash ^[3] which won top prizes (Grand Jury and Audience awards) at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, January 2014. She has completed filming Imagine ^[4] set for 2014 release, starring Jennifer Garner, Al Pacino, Annette Benning and other well-known stars. Melissa is set to marry Blake Jenner, one of her Glee co-stars.

Melissa Benoist was born to Jim and Julie Benoist^[5] in Littleton, Colorado ^[6] where she grew up, eventually attending Arapahoe High School ^[7] She reportedly felt like a wallflower, another word for an outsider, through school because she was often made fun of. She spent much of her time alone (ie: eating lunch by herself or with a small group of friends). However, she didn't mind this and was quite comfortable with the situation because she was involved in many extracurricular theater productions which kept her very busy learning her acting craft. She graduated from high school on May 22, 2007.^[8] The very day of graduation, she chose to tearfully perform the play Evita with other cast members, thoroughly soaked by pouring rain, in the parking lot of the popular but suddenly out-of-money, Country Dinner Playhouse in Centennial, Colorado. The impromptu performance by her fellow actors and the shocking, sudden closure of the dinner theater, were more important to her than attending graduation parties.^[9][10] Benoist attended Marymount Manhattan College from 2007, graduating in 2011.^[11]

Benoist made her film debut in Tennessee in 2008.

In May 2012,^[12] she auditioned for Glee in New York at the Roundabout Theatre Company, singing a different song for each of her five auditions including: "Fidelity" by Regina Spektor, "King of Anything" by Sara Bareilles, a Colbie Caillat song, and several musical theater pieces. In July,^[12] she had two screen tests in California for series creator/ writer, Ryan Murphy, the casting directors, and executive producers. Because the show's executives had been looking for an actress who could play the part of Marley for some time, Benoist began work immediately.

She and Glee co-star, Darren Criss appeared with Josh Duhamel in the opening of the 2013 Kids' Choice Awards.^[13]

She was chosen, along with fellow Glee cast members Jacob Artist, Dean Geyer and Becca Tobin as an ambassador for Coca Cola's new product, P10 300 ml Coke Mismo.^[14][15] In June 2013, they were flown to Manila, Philippines to endorse the product by visiting different malls and meeting with fans.^[16][17]

In July 2013, Benoist was cast for the film Imagine. She will play the role of Jamie, a desk clerk at a hotel frequented by one of Jamie's all-time favorite rock stars.^[18]

Melissa has been dating her Glee co-star Blake Jenner since 2012; the two are engaged to be married. ^[19]

• Appeared in a Tampax Radiant commercial.
• Appeared in a Clean and Clear commercial.
• Appeared in an Apple Facetime commercial.

• Glee: The Music, Season 4, Volume 1
• Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 3
• Glee Sings the Beatles

• Melissa Benoist at IMDb
• Melissa Benoist on Twitter

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