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Melissa Benoist

Melissa Benoist

Actor · Born October 4, 1988 (38) · Houston, Texas, USA

Melissa Marie Benoist (born October 4, 1988) is an American actress, singer and producer. Her first major role was Marley Rose on the Fox musical comedy drama Glee (2012–2014), where she was a series regular during the fifth season. She rose to widespread prominence for portraying the title character on the CBS / CW superhero series Supergirl (2015–2021), along with related media in the Arrowverse franchise. Benoist's film appearances include the psychological drama Whiplash (2014), the comedy drama Danny Collins (2015), the crime comedy Band of Robbers (2015), the romantic Western The Longest Ride (2015), the action thriller Patriots Day (2016), the drama Lowriders (2016), and the comedy drama Sun Dogs (2017). She also portrayed the wife of cult leader David Koresh on the Paramount Network miniseries Waco (2018). On stage, Benoist made her Broadway debut in 2018 as Carole King in the jukebox musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 4, 1988 (38)
From
Houston, Texas, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 28 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 2% in 30 days

What are Melissa Benoist's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 88th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
30%
Bonds
27%
Morality
19%
Society
10%
Ideas
5%
Survival
5%
Power
3%
Family bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 2 · Dark 2

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 2 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 3 of 7 analyzed roles.

Hero
3 of 7
Herald
2 of 7
Ally
2 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Hopeful
9
Tense
6
Melancholic
6
Warm
4
Dread
4
Other
9

How their films linger

Hopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Melissa Benoist's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Melissa Benoist's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

28 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page; 13 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Waterfront(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · as Bree Buckley

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • The Girls on the Bus(2024)

    Show 10 episodes · Producer · as Sadie McCarthy

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows

  • Masters of the Universe: Revolution(2024)

    Show 5 episodes · as Teela (voice)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Clerks III(2022)

    as Auditioner

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Jay and Silent Bob Reboot(2019)

    as Chronic

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Batwoman(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Kara Danvers / Supergirl

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • The Stew (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Susan

  • Freedom Fighters: The Ray(2018)

    as Overgirl (voice)

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Billy Boy(2017)

    as Jennifer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Waco(2018)

    Show 6 episodes · as Rachel Koresh

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Sun Dogs(2017)

    as Tally Petersen

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Lowriders(2016)

    as Lorelai

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Patriots Day(2016)

    as Katherine Russell

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Legends of Tomorrow(2016)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kara Danvers / Supergirl · as Kara Danvers / Supergirl / Overgirl

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Band of Robbers(2015)

    as Becky Thatcher

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Supergirl(2015)

    Show 126 episodes · Director · as Kara Danvers / Supergirl / Kara Zor-El

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • The Longest Ride(2015)

    as Marcia

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Danny Collins(2015)

    as Jamie

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Whiplash(2014)

    as Nicole

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Flash(2014)

    Show 4 episodes · as Kara Danvers / Supergirl · as Kara Danvers / Supergirl / Overgirl

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Arrow(2012)

    Show 5 episodes · as Kara Danvers / Supergirl

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Homeland(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Stacy Moore

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Blue Bloods(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Renee

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Good Wife(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Molly

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Glee(2009)

    Show 42 episodes · as Marley Rose

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Tennessee(2008)

    as Laurel - age 18

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Jessalyn Kerr

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Ava

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 28 titles from 1999 to 2025; peak year 2014.

Biggest box office

The Longest Ride (2015)

$63M worldwide

Highest rated

Whiplash (2014)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Supergirl (2015)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19992025

Peak 2014 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting28 of 28: 26 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdDirecting1 of 28: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 28: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s4 · acting2010s19 · 19 acting · 1 crew2020s4 · 4 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 10 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Melissa Benoist's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 51st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Divisive2
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Tennessee (2008)

93rd percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Whiplash (2014)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 52. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Melissa Benoist's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles41–76 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles27–63 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles34–83 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles21–77 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles23–84 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Melissa Benoist work with?

People who share at least 2 of Melissa Benoist's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Chris Wood shares the most, 2.

Actors

Composers

Producers

Mixed roles