Vanessa Burns

Vanessa Burns is a (Guyanese-English) Canadian actress who was raised in Mississauga, Ontario. Vanessa's passion for the performing arts began when she was cast in her first school play at the young age of 8. Vanessa later attended a performing arts high school where she majored in Drama, honing her craft and paving the way for a promising acting career.

Following high school, Vanessa immersed herself in on-camera studies, soon becoming a member of ACTRA, and recognized as a professional performer. Over the past 20 plus years, Vanessa has appeared in countless national commercials within Canada, the United States, and Europe.

Vanessa is best known for her recurring roles in hit television shows The Handmaid's Tale (2017), and Designated Survivor(2016), where she shared the screen with high profile talent that include Elizabeth Moss, Kiefer Sutherland, and Kal Penn. Apart from these notable shows, Vanessa has also acted and appeared in over 43 films, series and programs including Reindeer Games, Well Suited for Christmas, Star Trek: Discovery and Workin' Moms, just to name a few.

Vanessa resides in Mississauga with her husband and two daughters. In between acting gigs, she works as a Headshot photographer at Vanessa Burns Photography in Port Credit, Mississauga.