Her first film roles were in the short films, Je t'aime John Wayne and in Stardom. In 2001, she played Isobel in Gosford Park. In March 2004, as she was opening in a new play called Three Women, she commented - "I don't want to leave modelling just yet. It's great fun. Theatre, on the other hand, is terrifying. I hope I can take this experience and put it back into film work". In July 2004, she was on the cover of the magazine launched by Annabel's nightclub, posing with Mark Birley's dogs. She was the face of Max Factor for Autumn 2004, and Links of London jewellers, and was also interviewed in The Observer. She is in the films Vanity Fair (2004) and The Freediver She was photographed by Bryan Adams for the sixth issue of Zoo Magazine. She portrayed Jocasta, the daughter of a wealthy merchant and friend to Octavia of the Julii in the series Rome and had a role in The Darjeeling Limited. Rutherford starred in the multi-award-winning 1920s/1930s sci-fi Dimensions. She starred in ‘'Breathe'’, which premiered at the London Film Festival. Rutherford starred in the period film Phantom Thread.
