In 2013 McTeer was cast as , the mother of the title character in , a British television drama series based on 's best-selling historical novel series.
She made her screen debut in , a 1986 film based on a novel by.
In December 2013, McTeer was nominated for a for her role as Jacquetta.
She co-starred alongside in on Broadway, with McTeer cast as Marquise de Merteuil.