She came from a medical family and majored in molecular biology and women's studies at UCLA, and spent three and a half years in pre-medical education with a view to becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon before taking up acting full time.

[4] Between 2008 and 2010, she appeared in guest roles on television series including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Cold Case, Weeds, Community, Grey's Anatomy, and Criminal Minds.

On May 25, 2017, Roden was cast as the lead in the third season of Syfy's horror anthology series Channel Zero, titled Butcher's Block.

[10] On May 31, 2017, Roden was cast as the lead in the Amazon Prime Video horror anthology series Lore, in which she played the role of Bridget Cleary.

Roden claimed to have been treated as a criminal, and that the authorities also denied food and water to her, despite her having presented a valid passport and visa.

[21] She criticized the rigorous way she was treated: "After two years of traveling to Brazil with this passport and this visa with no problems, to meet fans and make friends, I am taken aback by the accusations and the treatment that faced me from the Brazilian police today.