Amber Benson

**Amber Nicole Benson**(born January 8, 1977) is an American actress, writer, movie director, and movie producer. She is best known for her role as "Tara Maclay", on the TV series _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_.

## Early life

Benson was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She had a mixed Christian and Jewish upbringing.

### Feature and animation movies

While still working on _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_, Benson wrote, directed, produced, edited, and acted in a movie called _Chance_ (2002). The movie also featured her _Buffy_ co-star James Marsters. After her time on Buffy, Benson began working on a series of animated movies for the BBC with co-creator Christopher Golden and animation company Cosgrove Hall. _Ghosts of Albion: Legacy_ (2003) and its sequels are available on the BBC Cult website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/ghosts/legacy/). In 2006, Benson released her second movie _Lovers, Liars and Lunatics_ through her own production company, Benson Entertainment. The movie was partly paid for by the sale of special action figures of her character Tara from the _Buffy_ episode _Triangle_.

### Writing career: novels and comics

Benson also writes novels and comic books. She usually writes these with Christopher Golden. In 2003, Benson worked with Golden, Terry Moore, and Eric Powell of Dark Horse Comics to create the _Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow and Tara_ comic book titled _WannaBlessedBe_. During the same year, she worked with Christopher Golden and AJ (Ajit Jothikaumar) of Dark Horse Comics to create the _Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow and Tara_ comic books titled _Wilderness #1_ and _Wilderness #2_. In 2005, Benson worked with artist Jamie McKelvie on a short story for the Image Comics collection _Four Letter Worlds_. In 2006, Benson worked with artist Ben Templesmith on _Demon Father John’s Pinwheel Blues_ published by IDW. Benson and Golden have also worked together on two supernatural thrillers: _Ghosts of Albion: Accursed_ and _Ghosts of Albion: Witchery_. These books follow the stories of Tamara and William Swift, characters from the BBC computer animated web movie _Ghosts of Albion: Legacy_. In September 2007, Benson signed a three-book deal with Penguin Books. The first book is believed to be titled _Death's Daughter_.

### Career: miscellaneous

In 2003, she worked with director James Kerwin to produce her play, _Albert Hall_, in Hollywood.

Benson sang in the _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ musical episode "Once More, With Feeling". She sang on the songs "I've Got a Theory / Bunnies / If We're Together", "Under Your Spell" (her solo), "Walk Through the Fire", "Standing/Under Your Spell (Reprise)" and "Where Do We Go From Here?" She also sang "Toucha Toucha Touch Me" (aka "Creature of the Night") at VH-1's celebrity karaoke tribute to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

## Personal life

On the November 11, 2000 episode of the radio show _Loveline_, Amber (at age 23) said that she did not have a driver's license, that her mother drove her to the studio. As of 2007, Benson resides in Los Angeles, California. She is a vegetarian.

## Filmography

- _King of the Hill_ (1993 movie; not the TV series) - as Ella McShane
- _The Crush_  (1993) - as Cheyenne
- _S.F.W._  (1994) - as Barbara 'Babs' Wyler
- _Imaginary Crimes_ (1994)  - as Margaret
- _Bye Bye Love_ (1995)  - as Meg Damico
- _Can't Hardly Wait_ (1998)  - as Stephanie, the Stoned Banana-holding Girl (scenes deleted from the final cut)
- _Take It Easy_ (1999)  - as Justy
- _Deadtime_ (1999) - as Patty
- _The Prime Gig_ (2000) - as Batgirl
- _Hollywood, Pennsylvania_ (2001) - as Mandy Calhoun
- _Don's Plum_ (2001) - as Amy
- _Taboo_ (2002) - as Piper
- _Chance_ (2002) - as Chance
- _Latter Days_ (2003) - as Traci Levine
- _Intermedio_ (2005) - as Barbie
- _Race You to the Bottom_ (2005) - as Maggie
- _Lovers, Liars & Lunatics_ (2006) - as Justine
- _Angst_ (2006) - as Julia
- _Simple Things_ (2006) - as Sally
- _Tripping Forward_ (2006) - as Gwen
- _Strictly Sexual_ (2006) - as Donna
- _Girltrash!_ (2007) - Svetlana 'Lana' Dragovich
- _Kiss the Bride_ (2007) - as Elly
- _One-Eyed Monster_ (2007) - as Laura
- _Shifter_ (2008) - as Kimi

## Television

(Includes made-for-TV movies and TV series)
- _Jack Reed: Badge of Honor_ (1993) TV movie - Nicole Reed
- _Jack Reed: A Search for Justice_ (1994) TV movie - Nicole Reed
- _Jack Reed: One of Our Own_ (1995) TV movie - Nicole Reed
- _Promised Land_ (1998) TV series  - Amy Farnsworth (episode titled "Out of Bounds")
- _Cracker_ (1999) TV series  - Amy (episode titled "The Club")
- _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ (in 1999-2002 seasons) TV series - Tara Maclay
- _The Enforcers_ (2001) TV miniseries - Abby
- _Cold Case_ (2004) TV series  - Julia Hoffman (episode titled "Volunteers")
- _The Inside_ (2005) TV series - Allison Davis (episode titled "The Perfect Couple")
- _Supernatural_ (2006) TV series  - Lenore (episode titled "Bloodlust")
- _Holiday Wishes_ (2006) TV movie - Danni Hartford
- _Gryphon_ (2007) TV movie - Princess Amelia of Lockland
- _Morning Show Mysteries: A Murder in Mind_ (2019, TV movie)
- _Morning Show Mysteries: Death by Design_ (2019, TV movie)

### Ghosts of Albion

- _Accursed_ (with Christopher Golden) (Del Rey, 2005)
- _Witchery_ (with Christopher Golden) (Del Rey, 2006)
- _The Ghosts of Albion Roleplaying Game_ (with Timothy S. Brannan and Christopher Golden) (Eden Studios, 2007)

### Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow & Tara (2003)

- _WannaBlessedBe_ (with Christopher Golden)
- _Wilderness, Part 1_ (with Christopher Golden)
- _Wilderness, Part 2_ (with Christopher Golden)

### Other

- _Shadowplay_ #1-4 (with Ben Templesmith) (2006)
- _The Seven Whistlers_ (with Christopher Golden) (2006)

## Other websites

- Amber Benson - amberbenson.net
- Interview at Flames Rising (October 2005)
- Interview at LesbiaNation.com  (May 2007)
- Interview at SlayerLit

## Infobox (actor)

- **name**: Amber Benson
- **image**: Amber Benson.jpg
- **imagesize**: 200px
- **caption**: Amber Benson at the _Buffy_ "wrap party" in 2003
- **birthname**: Amber Nicole Benson
- **birth place**: Birmingham, Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, United States, U.S.
- **known for**: Playing "Tara Maclay" in _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_