Became involved with acting as a child; worked with children's theater groups

While in college, appeared with the Kent Players, a community theater in Maryland

Moved to NYC

Professional bow and TV acting debut on the daytime soap "Search For Tomorrow" in the late 1970s

Played the young Elizabeth in an Actor's Studio production of "Richard II"

Moved to Hollywood

Primetime TV debut in a guest role on the NBC series "Shirley", starring Shirley Jones

Starred as Greta Rideout, a woman who accused her husband of marital rape, in the fact-based ABC movie "Rape and Marriage: The Rideout Case"

TV series debut as regular, played one of the teens in the short-lived CBS primetime serial "Secrets of Midland Heights"

Had lead in the short-lived CBS primetime soap "King's Crossing"

Feature film acting debut, a lead in "TAG: The Assassination Game"; met first husband Bruce Abbott, who co-starred

Acted in "The Stone Boy"

Had recurring role on NBC's "Hill Street Blues" as Ed Marinaro's girlfriend

Breakthrough screen role, as Sarah Connor in "The Terminator", helmed by her future husband James Cameron

Stumbled on the big screen in "Black Moon Rising" and "King Kong Lives"

Played the female lead of Catherine Chandler, an attorney who was attacked and nursed back to health by the leonine Vincent (Ron Perlman) in the cult hit CBS romantic drama "Beauty and the Beast"; character was killed off in 1989 when the actress opted to leave the series; garnered an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (1989)

Reprised her signature role of Sarah Connor in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day", again directed by Cameron

Offered a strong turn as a widow infected with HIV who seeks to find a suitable home for her young son in the affecting TV-movie "A Mother's Prayer" (USA Network)

Co-starred in the feature "Dante's Peak"

With Alfred Molina, portrayed a married couple who shelter Jewish children at their boarding school during WWII in the "Marie Taquet" segment of "Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Couples" (Showtime)

Portrayed a journalist whose life is altered after an encounter with a notorious Parisian madam in the Lifetime movie "Sex & Mrs. X"

Played title part in L.A. stage production of "Laura"

Co-starred with Treat Williams and Jonathan Jackson in "Skeletons in the Closet"

Had featured role in the anthology film "A Girl Thing" (Showtime)

Cast in Tom Arnold's feature screenwriting debut "The Kid and I"