Jill Goodacre appeared as herself in an episode ("The One With the Blackout") of the popular sitcom Friends in 1994.

She directed one of Harry Connick, Jr.'s live performance videos (The New York Big Band Concert) in 1992. She appears in several of his music videos.

She was a primary lingerie and hosiery model for the relatively new Victoria's Secret company in its mail-order catalogs and retail stores in the 1980s, and she appeared extensively in the catalogs. She, Stephanie Seymour and Dutch model Frederique helped Victoria's Secret grow from a new company to one of the world's giants in women's lingerie, hosiery, swimwear, and clothing.

She was born in Lubbock, Texas, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. She is the daughter of real estate broker William Goodacre of Boulder, CO and Glenna N. Goodacre, a native of Lubbock, Texas, who resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has one brother. Her mother is now married to Dallas attorney Michael Lee "Mike" Schmidt.

Goodacre married Harry Connick, Jr., in 1994. She has three daughters with Connick: Georgia Tatom (born April 17, 1996), Sarah Kate (September 12, 1997), and Charlotte (born June 26, 2002).