In the early 1990s, Gayheart signed a contract with Noxzema, and became a spokesperson for the company. On television, she had a starring role on the series "Earth 2" (1994–1995) and was a recurring guest star on "Beverly Hills, 90210" in 1995. She made her feature film debut in the comedy "Nothing to Lose" (1997), and had a lead role in the slasher film "Urban Legend" (1998). She subsequently starred in the black comedy film "Jawbreaker" (1999), followed by supporting roles in the thriller "Shadow Hours" (2000) and the independent comedy "Harvard Man" (2001).