Jodi Benson

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Jodi Benson (born October 10, 1961) is an American voice actress and singer, best known for providing the voice of Disney's Princess Ariel in The Little Mermaid and its sequels. She was born in Rockford, Illinois, attended Millikin University, and currently lives in north Georgia with her husband Ray Benson (not the Ray Benson of band "Asleep At The Wheel"). Jodi has also performed in several Broadway Productions.

In 2002 and 2006, she reprised the role of Ariel in the English versions of the Kingdom Hearts video game series. Mayumi Suzuki was Ariel's Japanese voice.

[edit] Filmography

1984 Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (voice) - Lastelle's Mother (2004 Disney Dub)
1988 P.J. Sparkles (voice)- P.J. (1988 Mattel)
1989 The Little Mermaid (voice) - Princess Ariel, Vanessa
1991 Pirates of Dark Water TV Series (voice) - Tula
1991 Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Under the Sea (voice, archive footage) - Ariel
1992 The Little Mermaid TV Series (voice) - Ariel
1994 Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Circle of Life (voice, archive footage) - Ariel
1994 Thumbelina (voice) - Thumbelina
1996 Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Friend Like Me (voice, archive footage) - Ariel
1996 Guideposts Junction, a six-part Christian video series for children - Herself
1997 Flubber (voice) - Weebo
1997 A Christmas Carol (voice) - Belle
1998 The Mighty Kong (voice) - Ann Darrow
1998 Hercules TV Series (voice) - Helen of Troy
1998 A Bug's Life (Videogame) - Atta
1999 Toy Story 2 (voice) - Tour Guide Barbie/Barbie on Backpack
1999 Wish Upon a Starfish (voice) - Ariel
1999 Hercules: Zero to Hero (voice) - Helen of Troy
2000 The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (voice) - Princess Ariel
2000 Joseph: King of Dreams (voice) - Asenath
2000 Grandia II (voice) - Millenia/Reena
2001 House of Mouse TV Series (voice) - Ariel/Belle
2001 Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (voice) - Lady (Segment "Pidge")
2001 Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse (voice) - Princess Ariel
2001 Balto II: Wolf Quest (voice) - Jenna
2001 The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy - The Blue Fairy
2002 Kingdom Hearts (voice) - Princess Ariel
2002 Rapsittie Street Kids: Believe in Santa (voice) - Lenee
2003 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (voice) - Anita
2003 K10C: Kids' Ten Commandments (voice) - Leila and Martha
2003 Mickey's PhilharMagic (voice) (uncredited) - Ariel
2004 Balto III: Wings of Change (voice) - Jenna
2005 The Buzz on Maggie (voice) -Laura
2005 Camp Lazlo (voice) - Patsy Smiles, Ms. Jane Doe, Almondine Owl.
2006 Kingdom Hearts II (voice) - Princess Ariel
2007 The Little Mermaid III (voice) - Princess Ariel
2007 The Save-Ums (voice) - Cloe

1990 Little Mermaid Soundtrack
1991 Jodi Benson Sings Songs From the Beginner's Bible I
1992 Jodi Benson Sings Songs From the Beginner's Bible II
1992 Little Mermaid: Splash hits
1992 Crazy For You Cast Recording
1993 Little Mermaid: Songs from the Sea
1994 Unsung Musicals
1995 Songs of Guideposts Junction
1996 Hollywood Christmas (Various artists)
2000 Little Mermaid II Soundtrack
2004 Disney Princess Music Hits
2005 Disney Princess Christmas Of Enchantment

[edit] Trivia

Mrs. Benson seems incapable of escaping her Little Mermaid legacy. In the Guideposts Junction video series, one character jokingly asked if Jodi knew anything about mermaids. The Mighty Kong featured one scene in which the lead female character (whose voice she provided), swam through the water, her hair flowing about in an Ariel-like fashion. She even provided the voice for a character called Aquagirl in an episode of Batman Beyond. Fortunately, Ms. Benson seems to have no regrets about her Little Mermaid role. She says that she never gets tired of singing Part of Your World, her trademark song from this movie.

Ms. Benson played Ariel again in the video game Kingdom Hearts; she is also in Kingdom Hearts II, playing Ariel yet again, this time singing in musicals.

Fittingly enough, Ms. Benson performs the song Disneyland on the Unsung Musicals compilation CD. This song was originally performed by her in the short-lived Broadway musical Smile, long before she became affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

Ms. Benson will play as Cloe in the Save-Ums.