[7] Samanalee's aunt Sriyani Fonseka has acted in popular films such as Lokuma Hinawa, Hondai Narakai, Thilaka Saha Thilakaa, Niwena Ginna and Selinage Walawwa.

[10] Senali started acting with the blockbuster film Siri Parakum and then made popular characters in Haara Kotiya and Vijayaba Kollaya.

[11] She entered the Sri Lankan film industry as a child artist at the age of five and made her acting debut with Paradisaya by Dinesh Priyasad.

Her maiden lead female role was in Aruna Gunarathne's tele-film Suriya Vinshthi when she was 16 years old.

Samanalee came to fame with her performance in prolific Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage’s Akasa Kusum.

Then she acted in critically acclaimed films such as Motor Bicycle by Shameera Rangana Naotunna, Premaya Nam by Kalpana Ariyavansa, Vindana Ariyawansa, Nimnayaka Hudakalawa by Boodee Keerthisena and Dewena Vihangun by Sanjeewa Pushpakumara.

[13] On 29 December 2014, Fonseka along with fellow actors Laxman Wijesekara, Indrachapa Liyanage and Jagath Manuwarna were attacked in Kumbukgete, while raising voice against Rajapaksa government during the presidential election in 2015.

It is based on a statement made by Wijesekera that she had received money from the Ministry of Mass Media and Information.