Born Charlene Elizabeth Brinkman in San Diego, California, Stevens has studied several foreign languages, including Esperanto, and gained a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology from San Diego State University and a Master of Science in Marine Biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California. Initially intending to study dolphin communication, she was instead tossed out of Scripps for doing "forbidden research" on dolphin communication. (The "forbidden" appellation was largely to do with the Navy's use of dolphins in undersea weapons research at the time.) While going to a modeling assignment, Stevens was discovered by accident by a producer who cast her in a film as an extra.
As of 2008, Stevens has appeared in over 100 movies, primarily in the horror, sci-fi and fantasy film genres. From her long list of acting credits she has gained notoriety as a scream queen, to the extent that she was once the subject of a Jeopardy! answer: "Brinke Stevens is known by this semi-rhyming title." (Question: What is a Scream Queen?). The Jeopardy! question was asked during the Scripps Institution of Oceanography special.
In addition to acting Stevens has co-written a number of screenplays, co-produced two documentaries, and served as an onset decorator. In one of her scripts, Dr. Horror's Erotic House of Idiots, Stevens pokes fun at the B-Movie industry and spoofs some of her own films.
Stevens is an inactive member of Mensa.
Brinke Stevens is depicted in the horror novel, Bad Moon Rising, the third installment of Jonathan Maberry’s "Pine Deep" trilogy, published in 2008.
Brinke Stevens appeared on the 2009 cover of the popular, pulp movie magazine, Mondo Cult, posing with an original prop from the "The Tingler." The accompanying article detailed her work in the film, "Blood Scarab". She appeared in a 2009 documentary Pretty Bloody: The Women of Horror.
