Daniel Benzali

Biography

Got engaged to "Sex and the City" (1998) actress Kim Cattrall by sticking a written marriage proposal to their fridge. The two later parted. Ranked #2 on Tropopkin's Top 25 Most Intriguing People [Issue #100] Was born in Rio de Janeiro to Brazilian Jewish parents, the middle child of three boys. His father, Carlos Benzali, was an actor in the Yiddish theater in New York. Previously appeared in London and Broadway musicals including the London productions of "Piaf" and "Evita" (as Juan Peron), as well as opposite Patti LuPone as Max the servant in the original 1993 cast of "Sunset Boulevard". "L.A. Law" creator Steven Bochco was so impressed with Benzali's performance on "NYPD Blue" that he cast him in the lead role of his 1995 series "Murder One". He was nominated for a Golden Globe award. Benzali is also also an accomplished singer and recorded an album covering several popular jazz and blues hits. The family moved to Brooklyn after his father's death and when Daniel was still quite young. He spent his childhood and teen years interested in sports and singing. After a few years of performing in regional theatre throughout the U.S., Benzali traveled to England, where he performed with The Half Moon Theatre company, and then came to the attention of Trevor Nunn, who invited him to become a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London where he sang a program of Gershwin's music. His ex-wife Lynda Medwell was a potter. They were married for eight years before divorcing in the early 1980s.