She left South Africa in 1975 to pursue an acting career in London. In 1980, she made her feature film debut as Sybil Gordon in the Academy Award winning Best Picture, Chariots of Fire (1981). She then appeared in the 1980 television adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, which was followed by her memorable, dual role as the avenging spirit in 1981's Ghost Story. Also in 1981, she debuted in a West End theatre production of Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man, for which she won a Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer. From this early success in theatre, she spent some time working with the RSC, performing in such productions as King Lear, The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew and Cyrano de Bergerac.

After her return to film and television, she appeared in a diverse range of films, such as King David (1985), Barfly (1987), Haunted Summer (1988), Code Name: Chaos (1988) and See You in the Morning (1989). Her work in television included critically acclaimed mini-series, such as Ellis Island (1984) and Wallenberg: A Hero's Story (1985), as well as various 'kitchen sink' dramas. This eclectic trend continued into the 1990s. One notable standout, however, was the film Star Trek: First Contact (1996), without a doubt the most commercial, mainstream film with which she has been involved.