Sobieski was first noticed by a talent scout in the cafeteria of a New York City private school. That encounter led to her audition for the role of
Claudia in
Interview with the Vampire (1994), a role that ultimately went to
Kirsten Dunst. Sobieski portrayed the character of Anna Yates in the 1994 TV movie
Reunion starring
Marlo Thomas. Next, she played a lead role in
A Horse for Danny, a 1995
made-for-television film. In 1997, she snagged her first role in a studio film playing the daughter of
Martin Short's character in the
Tim Allen comedy
Jungle 2 Jungle. While still in her mid-teens, Sobieski rose to fame with her appearance in the movie
Deep Impact (1998). The film was a major financial success, grossing over $349 million worldwide on a $75 million production budget.
Deep Impact brought her to the attention of many casting directors. That same year Sobieski appeared in the
Merchant Ivory film ''
A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries''. Sobieski's performance received praise from critics; Emanuel Levy of
Variety wrote that "the graceful Sobieski registers strongly as a potential star, combining physical charm with technical skill." The film garnered her a
Young Artist Award nomination, as well as a nomination by the
Chicago Film Critics Association. In 1999, Sobieski appeared in
Stanley Kubrick's
Eyes Wide Shut. Recalling acting alongside
Tom Cruise, Sobieski stated he was "very kind and considerate with me", and says her most vivid recollection of Kubrick, who died soon after filming finished, was that he "genuinely seemed to hold something magic". Also in 1999, Sobieski was cast in a supporting role in the teen comedy film
Never Been Kissed starring
Drew Barrymore. Her next performance in the title role of the television miniseries
Joan of Arc (1999) earned her an Emmy nomination and a
Golden Globe nomination, and she became the youngest actress ever to portray
Joan of Arc on screen. In 2000, Sobieski played the female lead in the film
Here on Earth opposite
Josh Hartnett and
Chris Klein, for which she received a
Teen Choice Award nomination. She received a second Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of
Tosia Altman in the 2001 TV film
Uprising. In 2001, Sobieski played the lead role in the road horror film
Joy Ride with
Paul Walker and
Steve Zahn. The film received generally favorable reviews. Garth Franklin of
Dark Horizons stated that Sobieski "does a better job than usual." That same year, she starred in the thriller
The Glass House, alongside
Diane Lane. The film was panned by critics and, with little promotion, had a disappointing opening weekend gross of just under $6 million. Sobieski's performance in the 2001 low-budget drama
My First Mister was praised by critics, with Pete Croatto of
Filmcritic.com writing that, "As for Sobieski, who I've always liked, she does another fine job. This time it's with a shaky character – the troubled
Goth chick... [but] Sobieski finds her character's human touch and runs with it." Sobieski landed a starring role in the independent film ''
L'Idole (2002), which opened at the Toronto International Film Festival. She then starred alongside John Cusack in the drama feature Max, as the mistress of a Jewish art dealer who mentors a young Adolf Hitler. Next, she portrayed the character of Cecile in the miniseries Les Liaisons dangereuses'' (2003) with
Catherine Deneuve and
Rupert Everett, an adaptation of
Laclos's classic novel of sexual intrigue which made use of Sobieski's fluency in French. She portrayed the role of Deianira in
Hercules, a 2005 television miniseries. The experimental-indie film
Lying, starring Sobieski alongside
Chloë Sevigny and
Jena Malone, debuted at the 2006
Cannes Film Festival, followed by a limited release in the United States in 2008. She next starred in the American drama
Heavens Fall as one of several young women who accuse nine black youths of rape in the segregated South. That same year, she appeared in the horror film
In a Dark Place as well as the remake of
The Wicker Man starring
Nicolas Cage. The independent comedy film
Walk All over Me, in which Sobieski plays a woman who becomes a
dominatrix, premiered at the
2007 Toronto International Film Festival and was later screened at several other film festivals. Her next major motion picture, the thriller
88 Minutes co-starring
Al Pacino and
Alicia Witt, opened on April 18, 2008, in the United States, after a release in various other countries the previous year. Though panned by critics, the film was a minor success at the box office, earning more than $32 million worldwide. In January 2008, Sobieski appeared in
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, a fantasy film inspired by the
Dungeon Siege video game series. For her performances in both
88 Minutes and
A Dungeon Siege Tale, she received a
Razzie Award nomination for
Worst Supporting Actress. Sobieski next reteamed with her
Joy Ride co-star Steve Zahn in the
direct-to-video film
Night Train. In the film, Sobieski plays Chloe, a potentially lethal medical student who has a fateful encounter with two other strangers aboard a Polar Express-like train. In 2009, Sobieski had a small role in the biographical crime drama
Public Enemies. In June 2010, she starred alongside
Denise Richards and
Jamie Kennedy in the film
Finding Bliss, a romantic comedy about a straitlaced aspiring filmmaker who is forced to go to work for a producer of adult films. She made a guest appearance in the television series
Drop Dead Diva in the episode "A Mother's Secret". Sobieski also played a lead role in the 2010 drama thriller
Acts of Violence, the story of a man on a mission of vengeance after his wife is raped. Also in 2010, Sobieski filmed a supporting role in the indie comedy-drama
The Last Film Festival, which was not released until 2016. Sobieski guest-starred on a January 2011 episode of
The Good Wife, playing the girlfriend of one of Lockhart/Gardner & Bond's most influential clients, who is accused of using prescription stimulants. party for the 2012
Tribeca Film Festival From April 2012 to August 2012, Sobieski starred in the lead role of Officer Jennifer "White House" Perry, a rookie New York City police officer, on the CBS drama series
NYC 22, which was created by
Richard Price and produced by
Robert De Niro. She also played the lead role of Abby Gibbons in the movie
Branded, which was released on September 7, 2012. Sobieski retired from acting in 2012. == Art career ==