Born in Tampa, Florida, Amber Smith started her modeling career at the age of 15, appearing in Holiday Inn weekly fashion shows and some newspaper advertisements. Before she turned 16, she left for Paris to study more about modeling and work in international modeling circuits. Her big break came when she appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

After that, Esquire Magazine chose her as the first Vargas Girl of the 1990s. She also appeared in high fashion magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Elle, Marie Claire, and Vogue. Amber's film career began when she was cast in her role as Debbie in the movie Faithful. She has then appeared in various movies and television shows.