Nagel was born in Berlin, Germany and discovered as a teenager by German photographer Werner Bokelberg.
[2][citation needed] In 1992, Nagel moved to Los Angeles and started acting in American and German productions.
[3] She is most well known for her role in Alan Smithee's Burn Hollywood Burn and for her recurring roles as Hulda as Doug Ross' (George Clooney) love interest on the NBC television series ER and as Kate, Jack Richmond's (Judd Nelson) love interest on Suddenly Susan.
[4][citation needed] She also appeared on the television series Married With Children and with Lorenzo Lamas in Air America in 1998.
Nagel's work as a photographer and writer has been published in global publications including Dein Spiegel and Art Investor.