Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she began her career as a child model before gaining fame as an actress. She is best known for her iconic role as Regan MacNeil in the 1973 horror film "The Exorcist," which earned her a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination. She continued to act in various film and television projects, often in the horror genre. Beyond acting, she is an advocate for animal welfare, founding the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation to rescue and rehabilitate abused animals.