Born in Alberta Canada in 1974, Helfer started her career as a model, beginning at the age of 16. Just two years later, she won the Ford modeling agency’s “Supermodel of the Year” contest. After appearing as herself in “Catwalk” (1996) she has served as a celebrity judge on “Miss USA” and “Miss Teen USA.” Her modeling career made her a shoe-in for the part of a dead model on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," after a guest appearance on the series, “Jeremiah” (2002). Her silver screen roles include parts in “The Eventual Wife” (2000) and “White Rush” (2003). Prior to her breakthrough role, her most high-profile turn was playing Farrah Fawcett in the backstage telepic “Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie’s Angels” (2004).

Unlike other castmembers, Helfer didn't inherit an established role when she was cast in "Galactica," and thus had the freedom to create it completely on her own, resulting in a character that was a blisteringly fun high-point in an otherwise gritty space drama. Following in the footsteps of classic evil-but-sultry sci-fi females–from Natasha Henstridge in “Species” to Kristanna Loken in “Terminator 3”--Helfer’s menacing seductress goes even a step further, bluring the line of reality and imagination as she taunts her human mark, the weak-willed, egocentric human computer genius Baltar (James Callis)