Denée Benton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Denée Benton
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Benton in 2017
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| Born | December 31, 1991 Winter Park, Florida, U.S.
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| Education | Carnegie Mellon University (BFA) |
| Occupation | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 2013–present |
Denée Ayana Benton (born December 31, 1991) is a talented American actress and singer. She is famous for her roles in popular Broadway musicals. These include playing Natasha Rostova in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. For this role, she was even nominated for a Tony Award.
Denée Benton has also starred as Eliza Hamilton in the hit musical Hamilton. She also played Cinderella in Into the Woods. On television, you might know her from shows like UnREAL and The Gilded Age.
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Early Life and Education
Denée Benton grew up in Eustis, Florida. Her mother was a journalist and businesswoman. Her father was the mayor of Eustis. Watching Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella made her want to become an actress.
She went to Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park, Florida. Later, she studied at Carnegie Mellon University. She graduated from there in 2014.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting on Stage
Denée Benton's first big acting job was playing Nabulungi. This was in the musical The Book of Mormon. She performed this role in London's West End and on a U.S. national tour.
Broadway Debut
Benton then got the main role of Natasha Rostova in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. She first performed this at the American Repertory Theatre. Later, she made her Broadway debut in the same show. She starred alongside Josh Groban as Pierre. The show opened on Broadway in November 2016.
For her amazing performance, Denée Benton was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She also appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to talk about her role.
Television Roles
In 2016, Benton became more widely known for her role as Ruby Carter. This was a recurring part in the second season of the TV series UnREAL.
Later, in 2022, she joined the main cast of the HBO historical drama The Gilded Age. She plays Peggy Scott in this series. In 2023, she and the cast were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award.
More Broadway Success
On October 17, 2018, it was announced that Benton would join the cast of Hamilton. She took on the important role of Eliza Hamilton. Her performances began on October 30. She left the show in December 2019.
In May 2022, Benton played Cinderella in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. This was at New York City Center. She later returned to the Broadway revival of the show in November. She performed until December 24.
In December 2023, it was shared that Denée will star as Susan. This will be in the musical Tick, Tick... Boom! at The Kennedy Center.
Personal Life
Denée Benton met Carl Lundstedt in 2014. They were both in an acting program at Carnegie Mellon University. They started dating and got married in 2020.
Awards and Nominations
Denée Benton has been recognized for her acting.
- In 2016, she was nominated for an Elliot Norton Award and an IRNE Award for her role in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.
- In 2017, she received a Tony Award nomination for the same show. She also won a Theatre World Award that year.
- In 2023, she and the cast of The Gilded Age were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award.
See also
In Spanish: Denée Benton para niños
