As an actress, Clarkson became best known for her five feature films for producer Roger Corman, beginning with his fantasy film "Deathstalker" (1983), as a female warrior and love interest to the title character played by Richard Hill. Corman oriented his films towards young male viewers, using a mix of action and female nudity. Clarkson's work in "Deathstalker" led to her being offered the title role in Corman's next film, "Barbarian Queen" (1985), a role Corman referred to as "the original Xena" because of the parallel in featuring a strong female leading character in an action-oriented sword-swinging role.