RENT Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Benjamin 'Benny' Coffin III is an ex-roommate of Maureen Johnson, Mark 

Rent ver6

Cohen and Tom Collins, and Roger Davis. He is portrayed in the movie and the Original Broadway Cast by Taye Diggs. He is one of the lesser seen of the eight major characters.

Around September, three months prior to the beginning of the show, he and Mimi Marquez were presumably in a relationship. Around the time that Mimi and Benny broke up, he met Alison Grey, and married her sometime in November or December, before purchasing the building that used to house him, and the room that he lived in before moving into Alison's house.

During the first act of the musical, Benny rings up to tell them that they have to pay up on last year's rent, and begins to comfort Alison, telling her that they'll learn from what he is forcing them to do ("Rent"). Benny shows up to the building, and gives them a choice, convince Maureen to cancel the protest and stay there for free, or let her protest continue, and have to pay the rent ("You'll See"). Benny is at Maureen's show, and it breaks out into a riot, where people are hurting each other, and the police take action ("Over the Moon"). Benny is at the Life Cafe after Maureen's show, and everyone is planning to have a party. Benny comes over to congratulate Maureen's try, but saying it didn't work. He confronts Mimi, and asks her if she has revealed that they were going out to

Benny

(left to right) Mark Cohen, Benjamin Coffin III, Roger Davis

Roger. Eventually, embarrassed, Benny leaves, and lets them celebrate, while evacuating their place. ("La Vie Boheme A").

In act two, Benny shows up far less. Benny offers a truce, and none of them agree to it, and also reveals that Mimi seduced him into doing it ("Happy New Year B"). He attends Angel's funeral, and the ceremony afterwards. ("Goodbye Love"). Benny, in the end, turns around and lets Mimi (who lives beneath Roger and Mark), Roger, and Mark off of paying their rent, and celebrates their new-found appreciation for life ("Finale A" and "B").

Portrayals

Karlo Valdez

Karlo played Benny in the Ending HIV Season of Rent in Auckland at the Playhouse Theater.

Advertisement