In 1987, at age 22, Forbes landed the dual roles of Solita Carrera and Sonni Carrera Lewis on the daytime soap opera "Guiding Light". She performed on the show for two years, receiving a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her performance in 1990. After this role, she continued in theater, which was an early love of hers, and began appearing in small guest roles on television to raise her profile. She went on to make guest appearances on a few other TV shows (including "" and "Father Dowling Mysteries") before landing the recurring role of Ensign Ro Laren, a fiery, yet reserved Bajoran, in "Star Trek: The Next Generation".