[1] She moved from Houston to New York after high school and began her career on stage including roles on Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music (1981), as part of the Cotton Club chorus,[2] and Ain't Misbehavin on Broadway.
[3] She made her screen debut in a small role in the 1981 comedy film So Fine, and later appeared in Lady Beware,[4] School Daze,[5] The Mighty Quinn,[6] and The Exorcist III.
In 1990, Ferrell was a regular cast member on the short-lived CBS sitcom City starring Valerie Harper, portraying secretary Wanda Jenkins.
[17] The following year, she starred alongside Wesley Snipes as his wife Rhonda in the comedy film White Men Can't Jump.
[21] Ferrell also played the leading role of prosecutor Cutter Dubuque alongside Mare Winningham in the 1993 Lifetime Television movie Better Off Dead.
"[25] In 1994, she had the recurring role as Dr. Sarah Langworthy during the first season of the NBC medical drama ER,[26] and from 1996 to 1997 she co-starred alongside Corbin Bernsen on the syndicated science fiction series The Cape as Tamara St.