It was from the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre that she was cast in the hospital TV series Cardiac Arrest (although it was not her first television role). Her role as Dr. Claire Maitland earned her a Scottish BAFTA nomination in 1995.

She was one of the stars of the popular TV series Cold Feet, playing Rachel Bradley, a role which gained her a British Comedy Award nomination in 1997. She also starred in An Unsuitable Job for a Woman playing Cordelia Grey, and made notable recurring appearances on the American series Friends as Ross Geller's girlfriend, wife and finally ex-wife Emily Waltham, which introduced her briefly to American audiences. Other notable roles include Lorna Johnson in Truth or Dare (in which John Hannah also starred), Caroline Meagher in The Investigator, and Julie Matthews in Dead by Monday.

She was nominated for another Scottish BAFTA in 1997 for her role as Lorna Johnson. Dead by Monday won the Angel Award for Best Film at the Monaco International Film F