Marie, a third-generation Mexican American, started her career as a dancer on David Bowie's The Glass Spider Tour. She later began an acting career and won the role of Nikki Alvarez on the now defunct, 1989 NBC soap opera, Santa Barbara. Marie later made her feature film debut in the Gregory Nava film, My Family. She was featured in the 1997 biographical film, Selena alongside Jennifer Lopez. In this film, under heavy make-up, Constance played the pivotal role of Selena's mother, even though Constance is only four years older than Lopez. Her other film credits include Tortilla Soup in which she played a divorced mother. In 1997 she was cast in the NBC sitcom Union Square. She has guest starred on many television shows such as FOX's Ally McBeal.

Currently, she plays Angie Lopez on the ABC sitcom, The George Lopez Show. From 2002 until 2004, Marie played Nina Gonzales on the critically-acclaimed PBS mini-series, American Family: Journey of Dreams.

She's been in a relationship with yoga instructor Kent Katich since the mid-90s.

Marie has volunteered as an actress with the Young Storytellers Program.