Heather discovered her passion for acting at an early age and caught the attention of filmmakers with her breakout role in Gus Van Sant's Drugstore Cowboy, for which she received an Independent Spirit Award nomination. Graham went on to land unforgettable roles in the 1997 classic Boogie Nights, for which she received the MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance, in 1999's Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and in 2009’s The Hangover alongside Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifinakis.
In 2023, Graham could be seen in a variety of films including: THE OTHER ZOEY, a rom-com from director Sara Zandieh, alongside Andie MacDowell and Patrick Fabian; Netflix’s holiday film BEST CHRISTMAS EVER with Brandy Norwood, Jason Biggs and Matt Cedeño; SUITABLE FLESH, which is streaming on Shudder, with Barbara Crampton; horror film ORACLE; and opposite Dennis Quaid in MGM & LightWorkers’ ON A WING AND A PRAYER. She also appeared in the Apple TV+ series EXTRAPOLATIONS. Next up for Graham is a film she wrote, directed and stars in titled CHOSEN FAMILY, which debuted at the 2024 Santa Barbara Film Festival. Additionally, she's set to star opposite Tom Hopper in PLACE OF BONES which is eyeing a 2024 release.
In 2021, Graham appeared in Redbox Entertainment’s The Last Son, with Machine Gun Kelly, Sam Worthington, and Thomas Jane. Additionally, Graham starred in the conspiracy thriller Wander, opposite Aaron Eckhart and Kathryn Winnick; in The Stand, CBS All Access’ series adaptation of Stephen King’s novel; and two Netflix original films: Love, Guaranteed, with Rachael Leigh Book and Damon Wayans Jr, and female-led comedy Desperados, alongside Nasim Pedrad and Anna Camp. Previously, Graham starred in the independent drama-comedy The Rest of Us, which premiered to rave reviews at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, with critics remarking that Graham “delivered one of her most subtle performances.” The film was released theatrically on February 14, 2020.
Graham has expanded into writing, directing, and producing, proving herself to be a multi-hyphenate leading talent with critically acclaimed, Half Magic, a film she wrote and directed, which was released in theaters and on VOD February 2018. The raunchy, female-driven comedy follows three women set out on a hilarious search for self-fulfillment while overcoming the roadblocks in their personal and professional lives.
In 2017, Graham starred opposite Edie Falco in NBC’s Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders. The eight-episode anthology series was based on the famed murder case of brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez in the early 1990s. Additionally, she guest starred in TBS’ hit show, Angie Tribeca, produced by Rashida Jones and Steve Carell, and starred in Sky Atlantic’s double-life comedy series Bliss, which aired on Britbox.
Graham joined the cast of Showtime’s Californication for its seventh season in April 2014, in which she played a woman from Hank’s (David Duchnovy) past whose arrival upended his life. In May 2013, Graham reprised her role as Jade in the hit comedy The Hangover 3. That same year, she co-starred in Ramin Bahrani’s At Any Price, which debuted at the Toronto and Venice Film Festivals. Graham’s character finds herself caught between her lover, Dennis Quaid, and his son, played by Zac Efron, while coming to terms with her small-town life.
Other film credits include: Dwight Little’s The Last Rampage, based on the true story of murderer Gary Tison's attempted escape from prison to Mexico; Emanuele Della Valle’s noir drama Wetlands, with Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje; About Cherry; Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer; and 5 Days of War. She also starred alongside a stellar ensemble cast in Emilio Estevez's Bobby, about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, which premiered at the 2006 AFI Film Festival.
As for animated work, she has served as a voiceover actor in the Lionsgate film Norm of the North, alongside Ken Jeong and Rob Schneider, as well as in Lifetime’s Flowers in The Attic, and its sequel, Petals on the Wind, with Ellen Burstyn. The latter two films, based on the famous novels by V.C. Andrews, were instant hits, garnering the network one of its highest rated original movie performances of recent years. Graham reprised her role in the third installment, If There Be Thorns, which premiered in April 2015.
Throughout her career, Graham has worked with some of the industry's most respected actors and directors. Some of her standout performances include that of a doe-eyed girl in Swingers, with Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn; an ambitious young actress in Frank Oz's Bowfinger with Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy; and the tragic Mary Kelly in Albert and Allen Hughes' From Hell opposite Johnny Depp; as well as roles in The Guru with Marisa Tomei; Hope Springs opposite Colin Firth; Committed with Luke Wilson; Ed Burns' ensemble Sidewalks of New York; James Toback's Two Girls and a Guy with Robert Downey Jr.; Lost in Space with Gary Oldman and William Hurt; and Six Degrees of Separation starring Will Smith.
Graham executive produced and starred in the feature film Cake, a romantic comedy also starring Sandra Oh and Cheryl Hines. In 2004-2005, she received rave reviews for her guest starring stint on NBC’s critically acclaimed series Scrubs. On stage, Graham made her theatrical debut in Playwrights Horizons' off-Broadway production of Recent Tragic Events.