Newman first earned a living performing with her jazz quartet, and landed parts in several short films. She also made an appearance on "The Drew Carey Show". Soon after, she landed the role of Kristina Cassadine on the soap opera "General Hospital". While there, she continued with her music career, putting together her cover band, School Boy Crush. Newman and School Boy Crush played regularly at The Buffalo Club in Santa Monica, California; Moomba in West Hollywood; Nick's Martini Lounge; Café Cordiale; and at the Lux in Beverly Hills. The band covered a wide variety of music from funk and soul to R&B and blues. Most recently, they played the ESPN Awards party at The Highlands, the adjoining venue to the Kodak Theatre. Newman also landed a part in Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can", with a scene opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. In January 2003, Newman starred with David Schwimmer, Jonathan Silverman and Tom Everett Scott in the play "Turnaround", Roger Kumble's dark Hollywood satire. In October 2006, Newman began an eight-episode run in a recurring role in the critically acclaimed CW show "Veronica Mars". She also became a fan favorite with her appearance on "Stargate Atlantis" as Lt. Laura Cadman. Along with fellow "Stargate" actor Michael Shanks, she appeared in the Christmas 2006 television film "Under the Mistletoe". Other high-profile guest starring roles include "E-Ring", "Heroes", "Supernatural", "Related", "", "Medium", "NCIS", "Grimm", "", and "Castle". In 2007, Newman starred in Neil LaBute's play "Fat Pig" at the Geffen Playhouse, and in 2008, starred in LaBute's play "Some Girl(s)", also at the Geffen. The following year, she appeared alongside Rebecca Romijn, Lindsay Price and Paul Gross in the 2009 television adaptation of "Eastwick" (based on the John Updike novel "The Witches of Eastwick"), playing Kat Gardener, a nurse and mother of five who discovers her magical powers. In 2010, she held major recurring roles on "Eureka" as Dr. Tess Fontana, and on "Drop Dead Diva" as Vanessa Hemmings. In January 2011, Newman played Cynthia Karslake in David Auburn's revival of "The New York Idea" by Langdon Elwyn Mitchell at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York City.