She attended Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and later moved to New York City and graduated from the Juilliard School in 2011.
[1] In New York City, Thornton began performing in Off-Broadway plays, include Years of Sky and Three Sisters.
She also guest-starred in a number of television series, include Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, Forever, and Elementary.
In 2017, Thornton played a leading role in the critically acclaimed independent drama film Beauty Mark.
[2] Thornton received positive reviews and won Los Angeles Film Festival Award for Best Breakout Performance.