- 2009: Plays a wife and mother of two with Dissociative Identity Disorder in the Showtime series, "United States of Tara"; produced by Steven Spielberg and developed by screenwriter, Diablo Cody
- 2008: Co-starred in Alan Ball's directorial debut, "Towelhead"
- 2007: Cast in Michael Cunningham's film adaptation of Susan Minot's novel "Evening"
- 2006: Co-starred with Robin Williams in an adaptation of Armistead Maupin's novel "The Night Listener"
- 2006: Co-starred with Greg Kinnear and Steve Carell in the comedy "Little Miss Sunshine"; premeired at Sundance; received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical
- 2006: Played an aid worker in "Tsunami: The Aftermath" a two-part HBO/BBC joint production that dramatizes the events following the 2004 tsunami in Asia; received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Mini-Series
- 2006: Released debut album, Beautiful Awkward Pictures, recorded with her band The Finish
- 2005: Co-starred with Cameron Diaz in the film "In Her Shoes" based on the book of the same name by Jennifer Weiner
- 2004: Co-starred with Nia Vardalos in the comedy "Connie and Carla"; writtten by Nia Vardalos and directed by Michael Lembeck
- 2004: Co-starred as a narcissistic and manipulative English bomb-shell starlett in the film "The Last Shot"
- 2003: Starred as a geologist in "Japanese Story"
- 2002: Played a struggling single mother opposite Hugh Grant in the comedy "About a Boy"; received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- 2002: Appeared as a 1950s housewife troubled by secrets in "The Hours"
- 2002: Co-starred with Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson in "Changing Lanes"
- 2001: Co-starred as Beth, a woman facing the end of her marriage, in the HBO adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning play "Dinner With Friends"
- 2000: Appeared in John Singleton's remake of "Shaft"
- 2000: Made Broadway debut in the musical by Michael John LaChiusa and George C Wolfe, "The Wild Party"; received Tony nomination as Actress in a Musical
- 1999: Co-starred as the mother of a psychic child in "The Sixth Sense"; received Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress
- 1998: Delivered strong supporting turn in the Australian film "The Boys"
- 1998: Featured in "Velvet Goldmine" as the wife of a glam rocker played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers
- 1997: Had the lead role of Diana Spencer in the Australian film "Diana and Me"
- 1996: Co-starred with Gwyneth Paltrow in "Emma"; directed by Douglas McGrath
- 1995: Portrayed the young version of the title character in the Australian film "Lilian's Story"
- 1994: Won international attention as the title character in the Australian comedy, "Muriel's Wedding"; gained 40 pounds for the role
- 1992: Feature acting debut, "Spotswood/The Efficiency Expert"
- 1989: Attended college for a year and a half, left to work on the Sydney stage
- 1988: Left school to pursue an acting career
- 1986: Performing debut, at age 14, in a school production of "Godspell"
- Raised in Blacktown, a suburb of Sydney, Australia
- Worked with the Australian Theatre for Young People
- Acted in the Australian TV series "G.P." and "A Country Practice"




