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Her early screen work included projects such as Cadillac Man, the 1990 comedy starring Robin Williams, as well as an appearance on Law & Order. These were among the credits that helped establish her new professional identity after decades spent in education. Rather than treating acting as a brief retirement experiment, Levine continued pursuing it seriously. Over time, her résumé expanded across television and film, eventually encompassing projects from multiple eras of American entertainment.
One particularly unusual early appearance came on a program associated with sex therapist and media personality Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Levine later recalled portraying a widow who was seeking guidance about entering a new relationship after losing her husband. The situation was fictional, but the performance apparently caused some confusion among people who knew Levine personally because her real-life husband, Bernie Levine, was still alive at the time.
Levine discussed the experience with humor years later. She explained that she was simply playing a character, although acquaintances who saw the program did not necessarily understand that immediately. The story became one of many examples illustrating her willingness to accept unconventional material. As her acting career developed, she became increasingly comfortable playing characters who could be eccentric, outspoken, surprising, or deliberately comedic.
That willingness became an important feature of her work. Character actors often appear for only a short period while still being expected to establish a distinctive personality immediately. Levine proved particularly suited to that style of performance. Her age, expressive delivery, and willingness to embrace unusual situations allowed her to turn relatively small parts into recognizable moments. She once reflected on her comedic appeal by saying that she apparently came across as funny on camera even though she could not fully explain why.