Butler's first film appearance was a small supporting role in the 1979 slasher film "Savage Weekend". Her next film appearance was a starring role in John Woo's 1993 film, "Hard Target". She then starred in the 1994 film "Drop Zone". In 1995, she starred as Corinne the dancer in the film "Let It Be Me". Butler was cast as a series regular in the CBS television series "Brooklyn South" playing Anne-Marie Kersey, a Brooklyn policewoman, which ran for one season from 1997 to 1998.