Fans Praise 'Dexter' Star for Leaving 'Suffocating' Marriage
Dexterstar Julie Benz opened up to Jennie Garth about why she made the "difficult decision" to get divorced, and how it was her way of "choosing herself" for the very first time on the July 16, 2025, episode of Garth's I Choose Me podcast.
"The first time I really chose myself was deciding to get divorced," the former Buffy The Vampire Slayer actress told the Beverly Hills, 90210 star of her 2007 split from actor and comedian John Kassir. The star admitted it was a "very difficult decision" for her to make because she "grew up in a very devout Catholic family [where] divorce was very much looked down upon."
Still, she knew it was the right move for her. "I honestly felt like I was suffocating... I felt like I was just... I couldn't breathe," she recalled. When she found herself making unhealthy choices more often, she knew it was time for a change.
"I was going location and I would smoke cigarettes and drink and like all this bad behavior," she remembered. "I was like, it's because I'm not able to just be me!"
Fans swarmed the comments section of the video with support for the star. "This is so beautiful and inspirational! Love you, Julie," wrote one follower, while another added, "You are wonderful, I love you so much, Rita," in reference to Benz' beloved Dexter character.
Benz went through a rough time following her 2007 split, admitting she was especially "distraught and sad" because she had to leave her two dogs with her ex. To help heal the heartbreak, the Angel star adopted a new pooch, and he changed her life.
'To have that focus of taking care of somebody else was really important to me,' she told PEOPLE in 2011. 'It was very hard for me to go through my divorce, and to have him as my companion helped. He kind of saved me when I needed saving.'
Benz later found love with Los Angeles Football Club Chief Brand Officer Rich Orosco, whom she married in 2012. In May 2025, they celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary.
"13 yrs later and I'm still the best decision you ever made," she teased beside a collage of photos and keepsakes from their relationship. "Happy Anniversary @lafcrich. Still, always and forever."
Fans Praise 'Dexter' Star for Leaving 'Suffocating' Marriage first appeared on Parade on Jul 17, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
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