The popular red-haired actress started her successful career working with director David Lynch. She made her acting debut in his film version of Dune then was cast in Lynch's cult classic television show Twin Peaks.

She used that success to land high profile roles in popular Independent films such as Liebestraum with Bill Pullman, Bodies, Rest & Motion with Tim Roth and Four Rooms produced by Quentin Tarantino.

In 1995, she was cast in the hit Sitcom Cybill with Cybill Shepeherd. She played the part of Zoey Woodbine for four years.

She was also cast in the Academy Award Nominated film Mr. Holland's Opus starring Richard Dreyfuss. In the years following she has established herself as a solid character actress in such notable films as Cecil B. DeMented directed by John Waters, Vanilla Sky starring Tom Cruise, Two Week Notice starring Sandra Bullock and The Upside of Anger with Joan Allen.

In 2008, she can be seen in the Al Pacino star vehicle 88 Minutes.