She attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and graduated from the William Esper Studio. She was noticed by a talent agent who spotted her at a restaurant working as a hat check girl and got her first acting job in a Coca-Cola commercial. She came to prominence in 1998 when she appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair, the year she had her most notable film role to date in Rounders, starring Matt Damon. She has played opposite such other notable leading men as Ralph Fiennes and Jude Law.

Her brother, Jim Mol, also works in the film industry.