What is the name of the character played by Julie Benz?

Julie Benz played Rita Bennett in Dexter. Rita is introduced as Dexter Morgan's girlfriend and later becomes his wife, making her one of the most important people in his outwardly normal life.

Rita is a caring mother raising Astor and Cody, her children with Paul Bennett. Her earlier marriage was marked by domestic abuse, which shapes her fear of intimacy and her cautious relationship with Dexter. At first, Dexter sees the relationship partly as a useful disguise, but his attachment to Rita and her children gradually becomes genuine.

Benz appeared as a main cast member during Dexter's first four seasons and returned as a guest performer in season 5. Rita's television storyline ends after Arthur Mitchell, the Trinity Killer, murders her in the fourth-season finale. Her death becomes a major turning point for Dexter and for his family.

Rita is sometimes confused with other women in Dexter's life, including Lila Tournay and Hannah McKay. Those characters have separate relationships with Dexter, while Debra Morgan is Dexter's adoptive sister, played by Jennifer Carpenter. Benz also became known for playing Darla in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.