Bainbridge was born in Melbourne, Australia, on July 12, 1978. She began studying ballet at the age of five and attended the Victorian College of the Arts from 1994 to 1997. After graduating, she worked as a dancer with the Australian Ballet and the Bangarra Dance Company.
Bainbridge made her acting debut in 2001, appearing in the Australian television film _Heroes of the Heart_. She followed this with a role in the 2002 Australian comedy film _The Nugget_. In 2002, she was cast as Grace Gibson on _Neighbours_. She played the role until 2005.
Since leaving Neighbours, Bainbridge has appeared in a number of Australian television series, including _The Secret Life of Us, The Alice_ and _Offspring_. She has also starred in the films _Voodoo Lagoon_ (2006) and _Daybreakers_ (2009).
Bainbridge is also a singer. She released her debut album, _Nadia Bainbridge_, in 2005. The album featured the singles "So Beautiful" and "Never Let Me Go".
Bainbridge is married to actor Simon Baker. The couple have three children together.