Bell was born in London, United Kingdom, the daughter of Mina, a personal assistant and nurse, and Peter Bell, an architect.[1] Her mother is Iranian[2] and her father Scottish.[3]

Bell is fluent in Persian and English. She is fond of motorcycling, skiing, snowboarding and kick-boxing, which she has been practicing for over 10 years. Her hobbies include cross-stitching and making model cars, which she has done since age 8.[4] She met actor/production assistant Adam Beason on the set of Death Becomes Her in 1992 (where she was the body-double for Isabella Rossellini), and they were married on May 8, 1994.[5] They have a daughter, Gemma, who was born on April 16, 2003 and a son Ronan born on August 21, 2010.[6]

Bell was the grand marshal of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway on June 3, 2007.[7]

In a survey of 70 celebrities by The Sporting News just before the 2002 Super Bowl, she correctly predicted that the New England Patriots would beat the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI 20 to 17.[8] In actuality the article was written after the NFC and AFC championship games and Bell correctly guessed the score but the teams were already decided. [9]

In August 2007, Bell and her husband put their Calabasas, California, home on the market for $3.25 million and moved to South Carolina.[10]

During the Hollywood writers strike, Bell took flying lessons in a Cirrus SR22.[11]

When she was in her 20s, she had thyroid cancer and had to have her thyroid removed. She does not cover the scar on her neck because she "thinks it's kind of cool".[12]

Although Bell was raised Roman Catholic and attended an "all-girls" Catholic school (Our Lady of Corvallis High School in Los Angeles), she is now a practicing Scientologist.[13] Bell has attested to attaining the Scientology state of Clear[14] She has supported Scientology's Hollywood Education and Literacy Project.[15] In December 2005, Bell helped promote the gala opening of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death" museum.[16]

In February 2006, Bell appeared in a Scientology music video called, "United." The film includes cameo performances by Isaac Hayes, Erika Christensen, Jenna Elfman and Lynsey Bartilson and promotes human rights with a rap song.[17]

In 1996, Bell began her role as Marine colonel Sarah Mackenzie in the series JAG. She would continue in this role until 2005 and it would become the role for which she is most well known.

Since 2007, Bell has starred in Lifetime's ensemble drama series Army Wives as Denise Sherwood, the wife of a US Army Lieutenant Colonel, who is endured domestic violence at the hands of her teenage son during the show's first season.[19]

Bell has also recently played the main role in Hallmark's The Good Witch (2008) and its sequels The Good Witch's Garden (2009) and The Good Witch's Gift (2010). She co-executive produced all of the movies.[20]