Stephanie March has become a household name through her unforgettable portrayal of ADA Alexandra Cabot on Law & Order: SVU. But there’s much more to this talented actress than one iconic role. At 50, she’s built a remarkable career spanning acting, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy that’s worth exploring.
Biography
Born on July 23, 1974, in Dallas, Texas, Stephanie Caroline March grew up as the daughter of John Abe March IV and Laura Len Irwin. She has one sister, Charlotte, and the family raised her in Highland Park area of Dallas. Interestingly, she attended Highland Park High School alongside Angie Harmon, who’d later become her fellow Law & Order franchise alum.
March’s passion for performance led her to Northwestern University, where she earned dual degrees in Theatre and Hispanic Studies in 1996. During her time there, she joined the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and played Helena in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” After graduation, she moved to New York City to pursue her acting dreams.
Career
March’s screen debut came in 1997 with CBS’s “Early Edition,” launching a diverse acting career. She made her feature film debut in “Coasting” (2000), followed by a role in “Head of State” (2003) opposite Chris Rock. However, it was her Broadway work that first caught serious attention when she appeared in the 1999 Tony Award-winning production of “Death of a Salesman” at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, playing Miss Forsythe alongside Brian Dennehy.
Everything changed when March joined Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in the fall of 2000 as ADA Alexandra Cabot. The Harvard-educated prosecutor became an instant fan favourite, and March portrayed her across an impressive 97 episodes spanning nearly two decades. Her character’s journey included dramatic turns like entering witness protection after an assassination attempt and eventually helping abused women escape dangerous situations.
March’s SVU tenure included leading cast roles from Seasons 2-5 (2000-2003), a return in Season 6 (2005), and leading the short-lived spin-off “Conviction” (2006). She came back as a lead cast member for Seasons 10-11 (2009-2010), had a recurring role in Season 13 (2011-2012), and made her final appearance in Season 19’s “Sunk Cost Fallacy” (2018). She even attended the SVU 25th Anniversary Celebration in January 2024.
Beyond SVU
Whilst Alexandra Cabot defined her career, March didn’t limit herself to one role. She appeared in the action comedy “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” (2005) as Julie alongside Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, played “Blonde” in Ricky Gervais’s “The Invention of Lying” (2009), and took on television guest spots in shows like “30 Rock” (2006), “Grey’s Anatomy” (2007), and “Happy Endings” (2013).
More recently, she’s appeared in The CW’s “Naomi” (2022), Amazon Prime’s “Harlan Coben’s Shelter” (2023), and Ava DuVernay’s critically acclaimed “Origin” (2023). In 2019, she executive-produced and starred in “The Social Ones,” playing Dr Miriam Spacelli in this satirical look at social media influencer culture. Her portrayal of Debora Green in the 2021 Lifetime movie “A House on Fire” earned particular praise.
March returned to Broadway in 2007 for the premiere of “Talk Radio” with Liev Schreiber at the Longacre Theatre. In 2025, she and her husband became co-producers of the Broadway musical “Redwood,” marking her continued involvement in theatre beyond acting.
Personal Life
March’s personal life has attracted considerable media attention, particularly her two marriages. She met celebrity chef Bobby Flay on a blind date at Nobu in 2000, and they became engaged at Rockefeller Centre on December 19, 2003. The couple married on February 20, 2005, but their relationship ended in March 2015. Flay filed for divorce on April 10, 2015, and it was finalised by July 17, 2015, amid allegations of infidelity that culminated in a “CHEATER” banner being flown over Flay’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
Whilst the divorce settlement terms were kept private, court documents revealed a prenuptial agreement stipulating $5,000 in monthly spousal support for five years, plus a $1 million buyout of their homes. March’s attorneys contested this as inadequate, and she reportedly received more than the prenup outlined, though the exact amount remains undisclosed.
Just months after her divorce, March met billionaire investor Dan Benton through a mutual friend in October 2015. Their first date featured a TED Talk by Sal Khan followed by a four-hour conversation, and Benton proposed on July 24, 2017, whilst they vacationed in Greece. They married on September 1, 2017, at their Katonah, New York home, with March walking down the aisle to the Star Wars theme played on her grandmother’s piano. The couple remains happily married as of 2025. March has no biological children, though Benton has children from a previous marriage.
Net Worth
Estimating Stephanie March’s net worth proves surprisingly complex, with figures varying dramatically depending on methodology. Celebrity Net Worth reports $40 million from household wealth, including her marriage to billionaire Dan Benton. Other sources estimate $10-11 million based on combined income sources, whilst multiple 2024 sources place her individual professional net worth at $4-5 million from acting alone.
The most credible assessment suggests her personal net worth sits between $4-10 million, earned through her acting career, business ventures, and undisclosed divorce settlement. Her husband, Dan Benton, founder of the tech-focused hedge fund Andor Capital Management and Colgate University’s largest benefactor, has an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion to $2.5 billion.
In January 2018, March and Benton purchased two combined units at The Shephard in the West Village for $34.62 million. The landmark 1896 building features 6,836 square feet of interior space and 3,451 square feet of terrace space, with five bedrooms and seven bathrooms. They also maintain their country home in Katonah, New York, where they were wed.
March co-founded Rouge New York Salon in December 2013 with SVU makeup department head Rebecca Perkins, investing approximately $500,000 to create Manhattan’s first makeup-only lounge. Whilst the physical SoHo and Midtown East locations have since closed, the business evolved into SHESPOKE, an active online custom beauty brand specialising in bespoke lipsticks using proprietary Pantone colour-matching technology.
Under CEO Kelsey Groome’s leadership (joined 2020-2021), SHESPOKE reported sales up 130% year over year as of 2021. Their bestselling “I’m Speaking” collection retails for $85, and they’re planning to expand into the foundation and concealer categories. March has also invested in NYC restaurants SONA and Temple Bar.
Philanthropy
March’s philanthropic work extends across multiple organisations. She became a Celebrity Ambassador for the World of Children Awards in January 2010, co-hosting the annual ceremonies through 2016, and received the organisation’s 2016 Board of Governors’ Award. She travelled to Nepal, Ukraine, Argentina, and Chile on field visits and rang the NASDAQ opening bell for the organisation in November 2015.
In January 2023, March joined the Panzi Foundation as US Board Director, working directly with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr Denis Mukwege to combat sexual violence as a weapon of war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Her current board positions include the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Gotham Film & Media Institute, Northwestern University School of Communication’s Board of Advisors, and OneKid OneWorld (which rebuilds schools in Kenya and Central America). She’s particularly passionate about Planned Parenthood Global, with a deep family connection—her great-grandmother, Ruby Webster March, co-founded the West Texas Mothers’ Health Centre in 1938, which later became Planned Parenthood of West Texas.
She’s also served on Safe Horizon’s board for five years and has tutored children at Harlem Village Academies in New York City.