Robia LaMorte’s Journey: From Dancing With Prince to Playing Jenny Calendar on ‘Buffy’ and Finding Her Faith
Learn why the star stepped away from acting—and what she's been up to since 'Buffy'
If you’re a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, you likely cheered when Giles, the Sunnydale High librarian and Buffy’s Watcher, found love with Jenny Calendar, the school’s computer teacher, and cried when she was murdered by Angel, Buffy’s vampire love interest, due to her involvement in a curse that was put on him. Giles and Jenny were a fan-favorite couple thanks to their quirky charm, and Jenny’s murder went down as one of the darkest moments of Buffy’s early seasons.
The actress who played Jenny, Robia LaMorte, 55, has had a fascinating career, as she started out as a dancer for Prince and other musicians, and later experienced a religious awakening, leading her to become a life coach. Here’s a look at the unexpected path she took.
From dancing with Prince to starring with vampires
Robia LaMorte became a professional dancer after being inspired by Flashdance as a teenager and performed with acts like Debbie Gibson, the Pet Shop Boys, Donny Osmond, Joe Cocker and Yanni. In 1991, she caught the attention of none other than Prince. Prince was so taken with LaMorte that she and another dancer, Lori Elle, were featured on the cover of his album Diamonds and Pearls and became key figures in his early ’90s work. During this time, he christened Elle “Diamond” and LaMorte “Pearl,” and the dynamic dance duo were featured prominently in his videos for “Cream,” “Gett Off,” “Strollin’” and the album’s title track, as well as accompanying the musician onstage.
While LaMorte was serving as Prince’s muse, the star infamously changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol and refused to talk to the press. In his place, he had LaMorte and Elle speak on his behalf, and the two young women became ’90s It Girls, all while retaining an air of mystery. Reflecting on her time with Prince, LaMorte said, “It’s incredible to be a part of history, and to be associated with such a legendary performer. I was so young at the time that I don’t think I truly appreciated it as much as I should have. Looking back now, I’ve come to understand how vast his talents really were, and how lucky I was to have been a small part of it.”
After dancing with Prince, LaMorte toured with Michael Jackson and Ricky Martin, but she ultimately retired from dance to pursue an acting career. LaMorte was cast in a variety of commercials and appeared in two 1993 episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210. Originally, LaMorte was only supposed to be in one episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but her chemistry with Anthony Stewart Head, who played Giles, was so dynamic that she became a series regular, appearing in 14 episodes overall.
Jenny Calendar remains LaMorte’s signature role, and she’s appeared at many fan events over the years. Years later, she said, “Buffy was a fantastic show. It was well-written and super intelligent, but I definitely started to feel the pull of all of the occult and the witchcraft,” and she later left the entertainment industry to focus on her spiritual journey.
Robia LaMorte’s faith-based post-‘Buffy’ life
As LaMorte became increasingly religious, she became uncomfortable with Buffy’s dark themes, and she saw her character’s death as a sign to move away from acting and dedicate her life to the things that she felt mattered most. She appeared in a handful of TV episodes before pausing her acting career, and after years of battling personal demons, she became a born again Christian. Since 1999, LaMorte has been focused on her ministry work, and she serves as a faith-based life coach.
The former dancer is married to James Scott. They have a daughter, Gemma, and she now goes by her married name, Robia Scott. In 2016, Scott published Counterfeit Comforts: Freedom from the Imposters That Keep You from True Peace, Purpose and Passion, a Christian self-help book.
In 2019, after not acting for over a decade, Scott returned to the screen with a starring role in the anti-abortion drama Unplanned. More recently, she acted in the 2022 film Pursuit of Freedom and she appeared in five episodes of the faith-based series Vindication between 2021 and 2023.
Reflecting on her unique journey from Prince protégée to Christian coach after the musician’s untimely death in 2016, Scott said, “When people hear I’m a Christian they expect me to have seen the light or regret my time with Prince or the videos we made, but that’s not how I look back on it. I believe God made us to enjoy ourselves. To sing, to dance and to produce beautiful things. I don’t think it’s godly to be impoverished and to suffer. And Prince certainly knew how to enjoy himself.”
While Robia Scott only chooses acting work that aligns with her Christian values today, we’re glad she still has fond words to share about Prince and Buffy—after all, it’s not every day that someone works with an iconic musician and acts in an iconic TV show!
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