Known for her character acting, Scarwid move using a University of Georgia Theater Workshop, a U.s. Academy of Dramatic Arts, a National Shakespeare Conservatory & a Film Actor's Workshop at Borbank Studios prior to making her foremost moving-picture show appearance within Louis Malle's Pretty Baby (1978). She wwhen nominated for an Oscar for Better Supporting Actress for her role as John Savage's girlfriend in Inside Moves (1980), then go on for her virtually all talked-all about screen role: Christina Crawford, the great deal abused adoptive girl of Hollywood star Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest (1981). Opinions come come spilt perfect down the middle on Scarwid's operate therein film: A few congratulate her for bringing art & craft to an impossibly writted role, when others condemn her for never rising above a tawdry lesson—& for failing to shed her Southern accent.

When this appearance, yet, by owning isolated exceptions corresponding Silkwood (1983) (in which she earned critical reviews when Cher's humorless sapphic lover), Scarwid was largely confined to trash films rather Psycho III (1986) and Brenda Starr (1993), although she did also earn a role of Rose Kennedy in the made-for-TV JFK: The Restless Years (1993).

Inside recent years, Scarwid has get the additional respected face in the industry. Inside 2004, she was part of the television series Wonderfalls.