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.  

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: Livefeed won ‘Scariest Film’ and ‘Best Sound Design’ at the 2019 Blood n Guts Festival; A Midwinter Nightmare (which she also starred in) is a ten-time award winner including ‘Best Romantic Comedy’ at the 2021 Oregon Short 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 and is currently touring the film festival circuit. The film is a five-time award winner including “Best Drama Short” at the 2022 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards and for which Keara is a two-time award winner for “Best Script.”

In the spring of 2022, Keara reunited with her Stepmom creative team to co-direct and produce the short drama Harbour, which is currently touring the film festival circuit. She was also a 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. The film is also the recipient of multiple awards and nominations including, five Leo Award nominations and one win.

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 upcoming video games and her first 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. 

Keara is also the Director of Sponsorship & Development 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 38 countries, and is eternally thankful to her husband for putting up with her popcorn and horror movie addiction.