Macpherson made her 1994 motion picture debut with Hugh Grant in Miramax's Sirens, an Australian-British social comedy about a young ecclesiastical couple who visit a scandalous artist and his three gorgeous models. Upon completion of Sirens, she subsequently filmed Jane Eyre with William Hurt also for Miramax. In 1996 she starred in TriStar Pictures' If Lucy Fell, opposite Ben Stiller and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Macpherson is currently in production with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin in Fox Searchlight's Bookworm, planned to be released next Spring/Summer. She is also set to co-star in the Warner Brother's Batman movie sequel as Bruce Wayne's (George Clooney) lady friend, Julie Madison.

Macpherson became an international star via Sports Illustrated magazine pictorials, including her gracing the cover of the special swimsuit issue, for three consecutive years. Her popularity became so wide that in 1986 Time Magazine ran a cover of entitled The Big Elle. Simultaneously. the Australian government offered the Sydney-born star a post on the tourism commission as unofficial ambassador.

Elle who is a partner in the Fashion Cafe and the owner of a hugely successful lingerie company in Australia, is a successful business woman who uses her enormous influence to raise funds and awareness for a range of charitable organizations, including AIDS and homelessness.