She first acted in a play at her school in Miami, Florida, and was discovered by a casting director in her New York City school cafeteria. The director suggested she try acting, and shortly thereafter she landed starring roles in the telefilms 'Reunion' (with Marlo Thomas and Peter Strauss) and 'A Horse For Danny' (with Robert Urich). She then portrayed Mark Harmon's daughter, Jenny Grace, on the series 'Charlie Grace,' and landed guest lead roles on 'FX,' 'Grace Under Fire' and 'The Home Court.'

Leelee's feature film debut was the Tim Allen-Disney movie 'Jungle 2 Jungle,' wherein she played Martin Short's daughter, Karen. Her on-screen romance in the movie was an Amazonian tribal youth, played by her real-life friend, Sam Huntington. Leelee's other feature film credits include 'Canadian Bacon Promo' and Stanley Kubrick's upcoming (and highly anticipated) 'Eyes Wide Shut.' She spent last winter in London filming this movie, in which she will star alongside Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

Leelee's mastery over the French language was necessary for the upcoming Merchant-Ivory production, 'A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries.' Shot on location in Paris and scheduled for release later this year, the movie stars Leelee as the central character, Channe, alongside Kris Kristofferson and Barbara Hershey.

The new Dreamworks film, Deep Impact, was released on May 8, 1998. In this blockbuster-event, Leelee plays the part of Sarah Hotchner. She, along with her on-screen boyfriend (portrayed by the talented young Elijah Wood), must make mature, profound choices in the face of a world shaking calamity.