The daughter of actress Marlène Jobert, Green performed in theatre before making her film debut in The Dreamers (2003), which generated controversy over her numerous nude scenes. She achieved greater fame for her parts in Kingdom of Heaven (2005), and in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, for which she won a BAFTA. She has also modeled for numerous brands.
She was the first choice for the self-mutilating, seemingly anti-feminist She in the highly controversial Antichrist (2009), but when director Lars Von Trier found her contract too complicated he instead cast Anglo-French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg in the role.
In addition to her acting career, Green has modeled for Breil, Emporio Armani, Lancôme, Heineken, and Christian Dior SA's "Midnight Poison" perfume, in an advert directed by Wong Kar-wai. She followed in her mother's footsteps by supporting Unicef. She has also expressed interest in returning to the theatre, and has no plans to go to work in Hollywood because, "The problem with Hollywood is that the studios are super powerful, they have far more power than the directors. My ambition at this moment is just to find a good script." She added she would probably just get typecast as a femme fatale there.
Green will star in Starz's ten-part series, Camelot, as the sorceress Morgana.