Jodi Benson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jodi Benson
Benson in 2023
Born	Jodi Marzorati (1961-10-10) October 10, 1961 (age 63) Rockford, Illinois, U.S.
Other names	Suzetta Miñet
Alma mater	Millikin University
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	1982–present
Spouse(s)	Ray Benson ​ (m. 1984)​
Children	2
Awards	Disney Legend (2011)

Jodi Benson (born October 10, 1961) is a talented American actress and singer. She is most famous for being the voice of Ariel in Disney's classic movie The Little Mermaid from 1989. She also voiced Ariel in its sequel, prequel, and the TV show.

Jodi Benson also voiced Barbie in the Toy Story movies, including Toy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story 3 (2010). She also voiced Barbie in the short film Hawaiian Vacation (2011).

Besides Ariel and Barbie, Benson has voiced other Disney characters. She was Weebo in Flubber (1997) and Belle in House of Mouse (2001–03). She also voiced Lady in Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001) and Anita Radcliffe in 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (2003). Jodi Benson also appeared in the live-action Disney movie Enchanted (2007) as Sam.

Outside of Disney, Benson voiced Thumbelina in Thumbelina (1994). She also voiced characters in Balto II: Wolf Quest (2002) and Balto III: Wings of Change (2004). On TV, she was Tula in The Pirates of Dark Water (1991–93) and Patsy Smiles in Camp Lazlo (2005–08). In video games, she voiced EVA in the Metal Gear series.

Because of her amazing work for Disney, Jodi Benson was honored as a Disney Legend in 2011.

Jodi Benson's Career Journey

Jodi Benson started her acting career on Broadway in 1983. One of her early roles was in a musical called Smile in 1986. In this show, she sang a song called "Disneyland." The lyricist for Smile, Howard Ashman, later wrote the songs for The Little Mermaid. Jodi Benson has said that singing "Disneyland" was the first step in her journey.

In 1989, Benson appeared in another Broadway musical, Welcome to the Club. She performed alongside Samuel E. Wright, who voiced Sebastian the Crab in The Little Mermaid.

Broadway Success

In 1992, Jodi Benson was nominated for a Tony Award. This award is one of the highest honors in theater. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Polly Baker in Crazy For You. Later, in 1998, she played the narrator in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Voice Acting in Video Games

In 2004, Benson voiced the character EVA in the video game Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Because she was known for family-friendly projects, her voice director suggested she use a different name. She was credited as "Suzetta Miñet." For many years, fans wondered who Suzetta Miñet was. In November 2024, Jodi Benson finally shared that she was indeed the voice of EVA. This happened when she was promoting the game's remake, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.

Other Notable Appearances

From 2004 to 2006, Jodi Benson hosted and narrated a Christian video series for children called "Baby Faith." In 2007, she played Sam, a secretary, in Disney's movie Enchanted. She also performed as the Queen in a concert version of Cinderella in 2010.

Jodi Benson often performs her famous song "Part of Your World" at events. She has also been a guest soloist with many famous orchestras around the world. These include The Boston Pops and The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. She is also a frequent narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World.

Her voice can be heard in many animated TV shows. These include Camp Lazlo, The Little Mermaid, Batman Beyond, and Sofia the First.

In 2016, Benson performed as Ariel in a concert of The Little Mermaid at the Hollywood Bowl. She also made a special appearance in ABC's 2019 live musical The Little Mermaid Live!. Jodi Benson voiced Ariel again in the 2022 video game Disney Dreamlight Valley. She was also the official voice of Barbie for Mattel and Pixar from 1992 to 2011.

In June 2023, Benson starred as Mama Rose in a concert of Gypsy with her daughter. They performed these roles again in 2025. In June 2024, she played Dolly Gallagher Levi in a concert of Hello, Dolly!.

Becoming Ariel in The Little Mermaid

Benson performing "Part of Your World" at the 2022 Phoenix Fan Fusion

In late 1986, Jodi Benson learned about auditions for The Little Mermaid. She had just worked with lyricist Howard Ashman on the Broadway show Smile. Ashman believed she would be perfect for the role of Ariel.

Benson recorded a small part of the song "Part of Your World" and sent it to Disney. Before this, she mostly acted on stage. In early 1988, Jodi Benson won the role of Ariel. She has been voicing the beloved mermaid princess ever since. She even made a small appearance in the 2023 live-action movie of The Little Mermaid. In the movie, she played a market vendor who gives Ariel a fork.

Jodi Benson's Life

Jodi Benson grew up in a Catholic family in Rockford, Illinois. She went to Boylan Central Catholic High School and Millikin University.

She married actor and singer Ray Benson in 1984. They have two children, a son born in 1999 and a daughter born in 2001. The family lives near Atlanta, Georgia.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games

Theme Park Voices

Stage Performances

Discography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jodi Benson para niños