Her experience as a model led to her judging a beauty pageant on the MTV reality TV series Made in 2008.

A year later Hinshaw pursued an acting career and landed a guest stint on The CW Teen Drama series Gossip Girl as herself.

Production began in August 2010 in Paris and Grosse Pointe,[17] and the film was released on a limited basis in the United States in May 2012.

In November 2010, Hinshaw was announced as a star in the independent thriller film Rites of Passage alongside Christian Slater.

[19] In May 2011, Hinshaw was cast as the lead in the independent drama film About Cherry alongside Heather Graham, James Franco and Dev Patel.

[20] Hinshaw portrays Angelina, a troubled young woman who comes to San Francisco and joins the porn industry.