Moncrieff's journey in the entertainment industry began with a Bachelor of Science in Performance Studies from Northwestern University. She then relocated to California to pursue an acting career, making appearances in numerous TV shows and B-movies, and securing recurring roles on Santa Barbara and Days of Our Lives.
In 1998, Moncrieff expanded her horizons by completing the certificate program in film studies at Los Angeles City College, discovering a newfound passion for writing and directing. That same year, she received the esteemed Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Blue Car, which would become her directorial debut.
Blue Car, starring David Strathairn and Agnes Bruckner, premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, where it was acquired by Miramax Films. The film went on to receive widespread critical acclaim after screening at various festivals worldwide, including Toronto, Deauville, Montreal, and London. This success led to Moncrieff being recognized as one of Variety's 10 Screenwriters to Watch, and Blue Car earning two Spirit Award nominations, including Best First Screenplay.
Moncrieff's second feature, The Dead Girl, starring an ensemble cast including Toni Collette, Josh Brolin, Marcia Gay Harden, Brittany Murphy, Kerry Washington, Giovanni Ribisi, Rose Byrne, and Mary Beth Hurt, received three Spirit Award nominations for Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress. The film premiered at the AFI film festival in 2006 and went on to win the Grand Prix at Deauville in 2007.
In addition to her film work, Moncrieff has also made a mark in television, directing episodes of the Emmy award-winning HBO series Six Feet Under, the short-lived series Touching Evil, starring Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Donovan, and the highly rated MOW adaptation of V.C. Andrews' beloved novel Petals on the Wind for Lifetime. She also directed and wrote The Trials of Cate McCall, starring Kate Beckinsale, Nick Nolte, and James Cromwell.
