Russell Arthur Benson Jr. was born to Cynthia Lattof and Russell Benson Sr., a union plumber who had returned from Vietnam, and Cynthia Lattof, a student at Gloucester State College. They divorced in 1979, and Cynthia moved Russell and his infant brother to Sacramento, California, where she met her future husband Frank Russo. Frank adopted the two boys, and Russell Arthur Benson Jr.'s name was legally changed to Russell Austin Russo. The family then moved to Phoenix, Arizona, before settling for a cross-country drive in December 1982 to Long Branch, New Jersey, where Frank's family lived. They rented homes and duplexes while having three more children. In April 1992, the Russo family moved to Rumson, New Jersey. Russell finished his senior year of high school at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional and graduated in 1994. He then moved with his long-time girlfriend Laura Wood to Clearwater, Florida, in June 1996. The relationship dissolved, and in November 1997, Russell moved back to Rumson, New Jersey. Russell was studying business-finance at Brookdale College. In February 1999, he stumbled upon the Jewelbox Theatre, where Jade Greene, the director, was offering internships for acting classes. Russell studied Alexander, Meisner, Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, and Method acting. He worked as a utility actor in various plays during the internship before landing a lead role in Clifford Oddett's classic "Awake & Sing" playing Moe Axelrod, a role previously performed by Sanford Meisner. Russell began traveling to NYC to study at Tisch in various acting workshops as well as working with the NJ Theatre Exchange. In March 2002, he landed the lead role in the Independent film "Envy" portraying a character with multiple personality disorder. "Envy" won the Buzz award at the NY Independent Film Festival. Russell continues to act in various plays and films.
