Keara Barnes is a multiple award-winning actor/writer/producer/director from Vancouver, B.C. She holds a BFA in Theatre from The University of Victoria and studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York. Over the past 10+ years as a professional performer, she has amassed 50+ performing credits in theatre, film and voiceover. 

Keara is the Artistic Director of Standing Room Only Theatre, through which she has created and performed two one-woman shows, Almost a Stepmom and Traveltheatrics, which have both toured across Western Canada to critical acclaim, sold-out runs, and media coverage by Global TV, CBC and The Vancouver Sun. 

As an independent filmmaker, Keara is the writer/producer of multiple short films including A Midwinter Nightmare which is a ten-time film festival award winner including ‘Best Romantic Comedy’ at the 2021 Oregon Short Film Festival, “Best Comedy Drama” at the 2022 Toronto Nollywood Film Festival, and for which Keara is a three-time ‘Best Actress’ winner at the 2021 Montreal Independent Film Festival, the 2021 Portland Short Fest, and the 2021 Chilliwack Independent Film Festival. 

Keara’s personal film, The Stepmom, which she wrote, co-directed, executive produced and acted in, was adapted for the screen from her one-woman theatrical show. The film is a multiple award winner including “Best Drama Short” at the 2022 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards,  “Best Narrative Short” at the 2022 LA Independent Women Film Awards and for which Keara is a two-time award winner for “Best Script.”

Keara co-directed and produced the short drama Harbour, which has won many awards on the 2024 film circuit and been accepted to over 25 film festivals. In February 2025, the film was acquired by CBC for domestic distribution and is now available to watch on CBC Gem. Keara was also a Leo-nominated producer on the Crazy 8s short horror film Consumer, which is a Stage 32 winner and has been accepted to such prestigious film festivals as Blood in the Snow, Raindance, Nightmares & Hollyshorts (among others) and is now available to watch on Scream Box TV. 

As a voice over artist, Keara has voiced numerous characters on over a dozen voice over projects, including the recent podcasts Golden Ash (That’s not Canon Productions) Duggan Hill (Time Signal Productions) and Mermaid Story (Under the Table), as well as two video games and an Irish-set audiobook through Audible. 

As a freelance writer, Keara has been published in Introvert, Dear; SAD Mag; Understorey Magazine and Intermission Magazine. She has worked as a theatre critic for the Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance and for Three Weeks Magazine during the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As a playwright, her work has been developed/presented by Lunchbox Theatre, Western Edge Theatre, Rumble Theatre, Shift Theatre and the Pull Festival. 

Keara is also an Artistic Associate at the Vancouver Horror Show Film Festival and is an avid horror fan. She is a passionate explorer in her free time, having travelled to 39 countries, and is eternally thankful to her husband for putting up with her popcorn addiction.