She experienced a religious conversion while dating actor/singer Ray Benson (not to be confused with frontman Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel).[4] The two of them later married in 1984,[7] and eventually had two children, a son (born 1999) and a daughter (born 2001).[8] An article originally published in 2013 by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association said the couple "live north of Atlanta, GA."[9]
Benson made her debut in the 1983 Kenny Ortega-directed "Marilyn: An American Fable". Other Broadway credits include a starring role in the 1986 Broadway musical Smile, where she introduced a song called "Disneyland". In 1987, Howard Ashman, the lyricist of Smile, would go on to write the lyrics for The Little Mermaid. She describes the song "Disneyland" at the "Smile" Reunion concert held on September 22, 2014, "This is the first piece of the puzzle of my life, the first step of the journey, so to speak". [citation needed] Benson also sings "Disneyland" on a compilation CD called Unsung Musicals. In 1989, Benson appeared in the Broadway musical, Welcome to the Club, alongside Samuel E. Wright, who performed the voice for Sebastian the Crab in The Little Mermaid.
In 2004–06, Benson contributed as the host and narrator of the children's Christian home video series called "Baby Faith", created by Integrity Publishers & FamilyTreeMedia.
She was at the 2012 SYTA conference singing her signature song "Part of Your World" on August 27, 2012.
She joined the "2013 Spring Pops" on May 14–15, 2013 as a guest soloist with the Boston Pops. Benson has been a frequent celebrity narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World, appearing most recently in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2021.[12]
On the concert stage, Benson has performed as a concert soloist with symphonies all over the world, including The Boston Pops, The Philly Pops (conductor: Peter Nero), The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra (conductor: John Mauceri), The National Symphony (conductor: Marvin Hamlisch), Cleveland, Dallas, Tokyo, and the San Francisco and Chicago Symphonies. She starred in the Kennedy Center Honors for Ginger Rogers, and in Disney's Premiere in Central Park with Pocahontas, The Walt Disney World 25th Anniversary Spectacular and Disney's 100 Years of Magic. Benson is the resident guest soloist for the Walt Disney Company/Disney Cruise Line and ambassador for feature animation.
On June 6, 2016, Benson performed the role of Ariel at the Hollywood Bowl's concert performance of The Little Mermaid.[13] She also made a special appearance in ABC's 2019 live musical spectacular The Little Mermaid Live![14] Benson was originally going to reprise her role as Sam in the 2022 film Disenchanted, but her scene was cut from the movie.[15] She recently lent her voice to Ariel in the 2022 video game Disney Dreamlight Valley as well as singing as Ariel on various Disney Princess albums of the 2000s. From 1992 to 2011 she was the official voice of Barbie for Mattel and Pixar for projects such as Toy Story and Dance! Workout with Barbie, until the role was taken over by Kate Higgins starting with the series Life in the Dreamhouse.
The Little Mermaid
In late 1986, Benson first heard of the audition for The Little Mermaid through lyricist and playwright Howard Ashman. The two had just worked together in the Broadway show Smile until its run ended early. He knew she would be the perfect fit for the role and that she would be a great replica of Ariel.[16][17] After hearing the demo for "Part of Your World", she sang a small part of it on tape where it was later sent to Disney executives. Before her audition for The Little Mermaid, she was primarily a stage actress. It was Ashman's first Disney project. In early 1988, Benson won the role of Ariel and has been voicing her ever since.[16][18] She also made a cameo in the 2023 live-action adaptation of the film, directed by Rob Marshall, as a market vendor who hands Ariel (Halle Bailey) a fork during her tour of the kingdom.[19][20]
^ abGaither, Gloria (August 1, 2011). "Part Of Her World: Jodi Benson". Homecoming Magazine. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2016. I was born and raised in a Catholic environment, she has a sister. I would say it was a little more cultural than spiritual — a little bit more religious than relational. And I was drawing toward the Lord in middle school, but I didn't quite know how to have that personal relationship at the time. When I started dating my husband at 18, he introduced me to Christ, and asked, "Do you have a relationship with Jesus?" And I said, "I love Him, and I know He's the Son of God, but I don't think I have a relationship with Him — like I can talk to Him by myself without going through the priest and stuff." And so, I had a really big conversion when I was 19, and Ray is responsible for opening that relationship for me.
^"Jodi Benson (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved April 30, 2021. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)