Stella Garcia's first film role was in the early 1960s in The Private Lives of Adam and Eve. In 1963, she had a small part in the Elvis Presley film Fun in Acapulco as the Señorita at Torito's.

In the beginning of the 1970s she was an Actress with promise. She was cast in the film The Last Movie which was the second directorial effort for Dennis Hopper who had just finished Easy Rider. In the film she played Hopper's girlfriend. The review from Variety included positive recognition for her part in the movie. This impressed Universal Studios who cast her as the female lead in the western Joe Kidd that starred Clint Eastwood. Her role in the film was that of Helen Sanchez, a Mexican-American Activist. She was the beautiful woman, the lover-partner of Luis Chama which was played by John Saxon. For her part in the film she received positive reviews, especially from the Los Angeles Times. In spite of the attention she attracted for The Last Movie and Joe Kidd, her career in films appeared to fade. She appeared in one other film during the 1970s which was the Albert Band directed She Came to the Valley, playing the part of a Christmas party guest.

In 1996, she played the part of Maria in the film Eye for an Eye which starred Sally Field and Kiefer Sutherland. In 1997, she had a part in the film Playing God as a South African Businesswoman.

She was photographed making an appearance at the April 25, 2014 screening of Dennis Hopper's The Last Movie at Paramount Studios, Hollywood, California. Garcia arrived at the event with Jodi Wille who was Director of the documentary The Source Family. Three of Dennis Hopper’s four children were also at the event. She was also photographed at the event, standing in front of a poster of the movie.