Sofer was born to an Orthodox Jewish rabbi father and a psychology teacher mother; her family subsequently moved to Pittsburgh, where she was raised after her parents' divorce.

Sofer attended the Frisch School, a Yeshiva high school in Paramus, New Jersey.

Sofer's first high profile role was as Rocky on the daytime soap opera Loving, a role she played from 1988 to 1991. She is perhaps best known for her role as Lois Cerullo on General Hospital from 1994 to 1996. Her portrayal of the outrageous Lois won Sofer a Daytime Emmy Award in 1995 for "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series."

Sofer has been in central roles on several prime-time TV series: Melrose Place, Just Shoot Me!, The Chronicle, Ed, Coupling, and Blind Justice. She played a guest role in the Seinfeld episode entitled "The Muffin Tops." She was also featured in the Friends episode "The One with the Cooking Class."

More recently, she has been featured in two high-profile recurring roles: on NBC's sci-fi drama Heroes as Heidi Petrelli, wife of aspiring politician Nathan Petrelli (Adrian Pasdar), and on FOX's 24, as Marilyn Bauer, wife of Graem Bauer. Coincidentally, these two shows are shown opposite each other at 9 pm EST on Mondays.

In film, she has appeared as an involuntary love interest of Ben Stiller in the film Keeping the Faith, starring Jenna Elfman, Stiller, and Edward Norton (who also directed).

Sofer and General Hospital love interest and co-star Wally Kurth became involved as their story line progressed. In 1995, they were married, and the couple had a daughter, Rosabel. In 1997, Sofer and Kurth divorced.