Soap World Responds to Passing of Actress/Writer Meg Bennett, Who Died at 75
Meg Bennett, best known to soap fans for her run as Julia Newman Martin, Victor Newman’s former wife on The Young and the Restless, has died at the age of 75. She passed away on April 11 after a battle with cancer according to an obituary in the Los Angeles Times.
In Memoriam
The actress, born Helen Margaret (Meg) Bennett on October 4, 1948, is most recognizable to Y&R fans for her turn as Victor’s ex, she started out in soaps in the 1970s. She played Liza on Search for Tomorrow and her pairing with Michael Nouri’s Steve endeared her to fans.
Bennett grew up in Pasadena, Calif., attending John Muir High School, and later, she majored in drama at Northwestern University, where she was not only homecoming queen but also a Miss America contestant.
After landing a modeling job in New York as the “Cadillac Eldorado Convertible Girl” (car advertisements were once huge), Bennett got her big break playing a role in the off-Broadway musical Godspell. She starred in Grease on Broadway and showed she had brains along with beauty as winner on the TV quiz show Three on a Match.
After wrapping up at Search for Tomorrow, Bennett moved back to Los Angeles. She began playing the role of Julia in 1980. Victor imprisoned Julia’s lover Michael Scott (the late Nick Benedict), and forced him to eat rats in order to survive. A pregnant Julia paid the price for Victor’s actions when she lost his baby. Bennett took on a dual role at Y&R but not on-camera. She worked as one of the show’s writers and was later a member of The Bold and the Beautiful‘s original writing team.
She also played Megan on Santa Barbara; Megan was one of C.C. Capwell’s (Jed Allan) past lovers, who bore him a son, Greg, played by Paul Johansson. Bennett also portrayed short-term villainess Allegra Montenegro on GH in 2005 in a story involving Sam (Kelly Monaco) and Jason (Steve Burton). But it was as a writer in daytime where Bennett made her mark. She scored five Daytime Emmy nominations for writing at GH, winning in 1995. She won WGA (Writers Guild of America) awards for writing GH and Sunset Beach. She also wrote for Generations alongside Michele Val Jean.
The actress/scribe was often willing to welcome new writers to daytime. Dave Rupel, a veteran daytime scribe and Daytime Emmy-winning writer, shared on Facebook: “I first met Meg when I tested to be a writer for the NBC soap opera Sunset Beach. I didn’t get the job, but shortly thereafter, Meg left Sunset Beach and became co-head writer of General Hospital, where she encouraged [GH] head writer Bob Guza to hire me, which he did, starting my soap opera writing career in 1998. Meg was a very talented writer and a wonderful, sweet woman.”
Bennett continued to act; she reprised Julia in 2018 and 2020. Julia’s last visit was tied in with Braeden’s 40th anniversary at Y&R.
The actress/writer met her husband, former GH head writer Robert Guza, Jr., while writing at GH. They would have celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary later this year. Bennett is survived by her husband, two stepdaughters, four grandchildren, a brother, a sister, and many nieces and nephews.
Former Y&R makeup artist Patti Denney shared on Instagram: “Rest in peace, Meg. We were all so fortunate to have worked with you.” Lauralee Bell (Christine) posted: “Talented and so incredibly positive and kind! God Bless you Meg!”
Soap Hub sends sincere condolences to Guza and Bennett’s family at this difficult time.
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