Denise Johnson was born on July 1, 1983, in Menominee, Wisconsin, the third of seven children to Lynn and Sharon Johnson. Growing up in a small farming community in the heart of the state, Denise's childhood was filled with creativity, thanks to her mother's decision to home school all seven children. This unique environment allowed Denise to explore her passions, which included visual art, music, and writing. As a child, she would sculpt and paint highly-detailed, miniature figurines, and she also loved the creative process implicit in drama, often performing skits and plays with her siblings for friends and family.
As Denise entered her high school and college years, music became a major interest. She and four of her siblings formed an alternative rock band called Sold Out, but her dramatic inclinations would remain a constant. In 2001, her family relocated to Tennessee, where she attended Middle Tennessee State University and studied fine art. Her first acting experience was in a theater class she had selected by accident, which further kindled a keen interest in acting. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Denise worked at Starbucks and also earned money by selling her signature, exquisite oil paintings.
While working as a barista, Denise met Alan Dysert, who encouraged her to hone her talent as an actress. In 2009, she started taking acting classes at The Actor's School USA, taught by Dysert. Denise then decided to pursue a career in acting, and since then, she has made several TV appearances and starred in a number of independent films.
In 2018, Denise co-founded Dark Rose Films with her brother Joshua Johnson. Their debut film, Realm of The Shadow, is set to release Fall 2019. In the Summer of 2018, Denise starred in the short film, Watching, which went on to win the Silver Young Directors Award (2019) at the Cannes International Film Festival in France.
