In addition to her work in film, Bettis also starred in two Broadway productions: The Father in 1996 with Frank Langella and as Abigail Williams in a 2002 revival of Arthur Miller's The Crucible alongside Liam Neeson and Laura Linney.

She later went on to star in a film called The Last Best Sunday, before landing supporting roles opposite Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted and Kim Basinger in Bless the Child.

[4] Bettis is most famous for her work in independent horror films, and especially her professional relationship with writer and director Lucky McKee.

Since then, she has appeared in McKee's Masters of Horror episode "Sick Girl" and provided a voice-over for his film The Woods.

Bettis starred as Carrietta White in Carrie, a made-for-television adaptation of the 1974 novel of the same name written by Stephen King, in which her performance was singled out for praise.