Benton’s appearance in “UnREAL” as Ruby also became a fan favorite.
And her career is only getting better and better.
In 2019, she appeared in “Our Friend” alongside Jason Segal and Casey Affleck.
In 2021, she took over the role of Eliza in theBroadwaymusical “Hamilton.”
Talk about having a great start to your career!
So, how did Benton climb the ranks of Broadway and Hollywood’s elite so fast?
To give you a better idea, here are some things you never knew about Denee Benton.
“The first musical I saw on Broadway was ‘Wicked,'” she toldStephen Colbert.
“You know, basic girl from the suburbs,” she joked.
As she went on to explain, Benton was seriously obsessed with the musical.
Apparently, she forced her parents to listen to the cast album constantly.
At one point, she recalled, her mom “accidentally” broke the CD.
“It’s still a conspiracy in our home,” she said.
“I apologize to the people who may have been there.”
Wow, Benton is more similar to her fans than we realized!
In the caption, Benton explained her cowgirl obsession.
But that didn’t stop her.
“I like to think that my cowgirl dream was my little inner self’s big L.O.L and F.U.
Sounds like Benton’s cowgirl obsession is a lot deeper than we would have initially guessed.
Her “[No.
1] favorite thing” was a plaque celebrating her Tony nomination for her role in the show.
“I’m gonna cherish this forever,” she said in an interview withBroadway.com.
Then, she showed off a poem that her brother wrote her for the opening night of the show.
“It was just really special … For the young Benton, the movie was life-changing.
When she was young, Benton didn’t realize why this film spoke to her.
“Those stories slowly but surely gave me the confidence to subliminally see myself in things being possible.”
No wonder “Cinderella” was so special for her.
Denee Benton received her first Tony nomination for her very first Broadway role.
Needless to say, it was a pretty overwhelming experience for the Broadway newbie.
The night before the nominations were announced, the nerves got the better of Benton.
“I was hoping for it,” she toldPlaybill.
In the morning, Benton tried to stay relaxed.
What a total inspiration to queer people everywhere!
The main difference, Benton explained toVox, is that with theater roles, preparation is everything.
With TV, on the other hand, the preparation process is completely different.
It may have been a different experience for Benton, but whatever she was doing, it clearly worked.
As Benton recalled to the publication, Lundstedt had proposed out of the blue after five-and-a-half years of dating.
When it came to the wedding, Benton went for a natural look.
Benton walked down the aisle to John Legend and Cynthia Erivo’s cover of “God Only Knows.”
Sounds like these two really did have the perfect wedding!
In fact, even when she was in college, the opportunities were rolling in.
She was obviously keen to take the part.
However, it would have meant missing a whole year of school.
It’s probably a good thing she did!
And, by the sounds of things, it did.
Soon, she made her Broadway debut.
Apparently, some opportunities are worth missing out on.
She’s also asix-timeTony Award winner.
While many people love McDonald, Benton’s adoration for her goes above and beyond.
When Benton played McDonald’s daughter on “The Gilded Age,” it was a dream come true.
For Denee Benton, who played Peggy on the show, it was extra special.
Peggy is one of the first upper-middle-class Black characters in a period drama in television history.
For Benton, the role felt like something she’d wanted her whole life.
The idea was to spread the word about Black women from history who had royal backgrounds.
“Finding Peggy felt like I got to connect with this spiritual ancestry.”
For Benton, keeping her natural hair is an important part of her identity.
For Benton,hydrationis another key part of her beauty routine.
“I’ve always got my 32oz Nalgene with me,” she told the magazine.
“I also love coconut water.
I feel immediately hydrated after and it’s also great for my singing voice.”
When it comes to makeup, Benton likes to keep it simple.
But there’s still one genre she’s desperate to try: romantic comedy.
“Those are the movies that I love.
I would love to get to do something like that.”
However, as Benton added, it’s still very rare to see people of color in rom-coms.
But, knowing Benton, this isn’t going to hold her back.
Here’s hoping she gets to take on a rom-com ASAP!
So, when young Black girls saw her perform, they realized that anything was possible for them.
“They can be all of these things.”
Not only is Benton an amazing actor, she’s also an incredible activist, too.
