[2] Tomei appeared in the original cast of several pioneering Off-Broadway productions, including Caryl Churchill's Cloud Nine and Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart.

[3] She appeared in recurring roles in several TV series, including L.A. Law, Falcon Crest, Picket Fences, Max Headroom, and Judging Amy.

In 2007 she appeared opposite Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner in a Broadway production of the play Cyrano de Bergerac, which was also recorded and broadcast on PBS's Great Performances in 2009.

From 1997 to 2011, Tomei played guest roles on TV shows, such as 7th Heaven, Touched by an Angel, Second Time Around, The King of Queens, Weeds, Numb3rs, Kitchen Confidential, The Closer, Cold Case, Ghost Whisperer, Nip/Tuck, Rubicon, Necessary Roughness, and Star Trek: Voyager.

In 2017, she appeared in two episodes of The Mick titled "The Grandparents" & "The Matriarch" as Tippy Pemberton, the twisted, abusive grandmother of Sabrina, Chip and Ben.