Jodi Benson is blessed and honored to be inducted as a Disney Legend after serving The
Walt Disney Company for the past 32 amazing years. Jodi has received worldwide recognition
and critical acclaim as the beloved singing and speaking voice of Ariel in the Academy Award
winning Walt Disney animated feature film, The Little Mermaid as well as the bubbly voice of
Tour Guide Barbie in Disney Pixar's Toy Story II, winner of the Golden Globe Award for Best
Picture. Ms. Benson is thrilled to be a part of the Academy Award winning film, Toy Story 3 as
the effervescent voice of Barbie for Disney/Pixar. This time-Barbie is back and in love with Ken
(Michael Keaton)! She also gave life to the spirited Weebo in Disney’s live action Flubber co-
starring the brilliant Robin Williams. Ms. Benson returns as Ariel with all of the Disney
Princesses for the first time ever in Disney's recent hit Wreck it Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the
Internet. For Warner Brothers, she created the title voice of Thumbelina, a Don Bluth animated
feature with songs by Barry Manilow.
Jodi’s other film projects include The Little Mermaid III, The Little Mermaid II: Return To The Sea
as Ariel, Lady and The Tramp II as Lady, 101 Dalmatians II as Anita, DreamWorks’s animated
video Joseph: King of Dreams as his wife Asenath starring Ben Affleck, and in Balto II and III as
Jenna for Universal Studios. She appears as Sam,(Patrick Dempsey’s Assistant) in Disney’s
feature film Enchanted- as a real live person –with legs!
Ms. Benson received a Tony Award and a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best Actress in
a Musical for creating the starring role of Polly Baker in the Tony Award winning Broadway
Gershwin musical Crazy For You.
Other Broadway credits include: creating the starring role of Doria Hudson in the Howard
Ashman/Marvin Hamlisch musical Smile, Betty Bursteter in Cy Coleman’s Welcome To The
Club, and Virginia in Kenny Ortega’s Marilyn: An American Fable. Internationally, Ms. Benson
has had the honor of sharing the stage with her husband Ray Benson in the European Premiere
of Gershwin’s My One and Only, starring as Miss Edythe Herbert.
In Los Angeles, Ms. Benson starred in the critically acclaimed Reprise/UCLA production of
Babes In Arms as Bunny, Nellie Forbush in South Pacific(Pasadena Civic), Flora the Red
Menace(Pasadena Playhouse), Ado Annie in Oklahoma!(Dorothy Chandler Pavilion), Eliza
Doolittle in My Fair Lady(Alex Theatre), and as Florence Vassey in Chess(Long Beach Civic
Light Opera) for which she won the Drama-Logue Award for Best Actress.
Jodi can be heard on several recordings including Disney’s Songs From the Sea, Disney
Classics, Splash Hits, The Little Mermaid soundtrack, and The Princess Collection; Varese
Sarabande’s Unsung Musicals I and A Hollywood Christmas, EMI/Angel’s Crazy For You cast
album, Warner Brothers’ Thumbelina soundtrack, and with EMI/Sparrow Records: Jodi Benson
and the Beginners Bible I and II, Guideposts Junction-a six part video series and album. Her
educational project for kids is a 6 part DVD series entitled Babyfaith from the creators of Baby
Einstein.
Her animated television series include the Emmy Award winning Disney show "Sofia The
First-The Floating Palace (Queen Emmaline & Ariel), Cartoon Network's Emmy Award winning
hit Camp Lazlo, the Emmy Award winning The Little Mermaid, Pepper Ann, Pirates of Dark
Water (Hanna-Barbera), P.J. Sparkles, the Barbie primetime series as the voice of Barbie,
Disney’s animated series Hercules as the ever “perky” Helen of Troy, Batman Beyond, The Grim
Adventures of Billy and Mandy, The Wild Thornberry’s and many others.
On the concert stage, Ms. Benson starred in the World Premiere of "The Little Mermaid Live in
Concert to Film" at The Hollywood Bowl to a sold out crowd of 18,000 fans per night for 3
concerts as well as sold out performances in Tokyo & Osaka with the brilliant Alan Menken. A
truly once in a lifetime experience. She fulfilled her childhood dream by singing at Carnegie Hall
with the illustrious New York Pops under the direction of Steven Reineke. Jodi had the honor of
appearing as the guest soloist at the Kennedy Center Honors for Miss Ginger Rogers. She
performed at The Hollywood Bowl with conductor John Mauceri on several occasions including
Tributes to Rogers and Hammerstein, Gershwin Brothers and Walt Disney: 75 Years of Music.
Jodi has performed with symphonies all over the world including The Philly Pops (Conductor
Peter Nero), The National Symphony(Conductor Marvin Hamlisch), Toronto, Cleveland, Dallas,
Tokyo Philharmonic, San Francisco and Chicago. She has starred in Disney’s Premiere in
Central Park with Pocahontas, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame premiere at the New Orleans
Superdome, and The Walt Disney World 25th Anniversary Spectacular, and Disney’s 100 Years
of Magic. Jodi was thrilled to be a part of the christening ceremonies and inaugural cruises for 3
of our Disney cruise ships. Ms. Benson is honored to be the resident guest soloist for the Walt
Disney Company/Disney Cruise Line, ambassador for feature animation and a member of the
Disney family for all these wonderful years.
Ms.Benson is always so thrilled to narrate the Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World
& has joyfully participated for over 11 years. It is truly one of her most favorite Disney
experiences to be a part of and holds such a special place in her heart.
Jodi gives thanks and praise to God for her family, friends, for her loving husband of 35 years,
Ray and her amazing children; son McKinley and daughter Delaney.