Mavie had theatre engagements in Hanover and Bochum (Rachel in Sanft und grausam, 2006; Jeannie in Fettes Schwein, 2005; title role in Lulu, 2004; Gilda in Komödie der Verführung, 2002; Santuzza in Freunde II, 2001). From 2006 to 2008 she performs at the Theater Basel, her first role there being "Roxane" in the play Cyrano de Bergerac, followed by "Stella" in A Streetcar Named Desire. Since 2009, she performs regularly at Vienna's Burgtheater. In 2007, she debuted at the prestigious Salzburg Festival, as Hermia in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 2013 she returned to Salzburg in a leading role in Nestroy's Lumpazivagabundus, directed by the director of the Burgtheater, Matthias Hartmann. In 2015, Hörbiger claimed two major successes at the Burgtheater, first in Tolstoj's The Power of Darkness, then as Ismene in Antigone by Sophocles.
In 2004, she ranked third in the voting for the 100 Sexiest Women In The World held by the German edition of FHM magazine, just behind Britney Spears and Heidi Klum. Mavie has ranked in the top 100 five times (in 2002, 2004, 2005. 2006 and 2008) and is widely considered to be one of the most attractive German women. She has turned down offers to pose nude for the German edition of Playboy magazine.