Suzanne Stewart,
Staff Writer, Pocahontas Times
Katelynn Burns was bitten by the acting bug when she was in high school at Greenbrier East. She joined the Greenbrier Valley Theatre in Lewisburg, and found her passion on the stage.
“I was kind of a shy kid, so it was a great way to feel like I could express myself,” she said.
After graduating high school in 2013, Burns went on to earn a degree in musical theater from West Virginia University. She honed her skills and decided that she was going to go for it and move to a city for actors. But which one would she choose?
“I moved to Atlanta,” she said. “I heard Atlanta was up and coming at the time, and I was thinking that it was close enough to home, but big enough to find some opportunities. I didn’t want to go all the way to LA, it’s expensive. New York is kind of the same thing. Chicago was just too cold. “Atlanta seemed like the best fit of all.”
It was hard to say goodbye to West Virginia, but Burns has returned as often as she can to visit family and for film projects.
“I moved about three months after I graduated,” she said. “It was tough saying goodbye to West Virginia. I’m probably the most homesick actor. Most of my friends were like, ‘I can’t wait to get out of here,’ whereas I can’t wait to get back.”
Although the film industry is cut throat and hard to break into, Burns managed to get her start rather quickly with indie (independent) film projects, reenactment parts in TV shows and student films.
“There are a lot of indie film projects happening in Atlanta, and you sort of have to work your way up,” she said. “My first jobs would have been student films, passion project films that are very one and done – grab a camera and tripod, and steal a shot because they don’t have a permit for it, and you have to wing it on the spot.”
As for the TV roles, Burns did a reenactment part in the series American Detective with Lt. Joe Kenda, which aired on the ID Network. “It’s so odd to play a character that is a real person,” she said. “They’re going to watch you later.”
In addition to acting parts, Burns has most recently been a stand-in on the TV miniseries Class of ’09, where she got to work with several famous actors.
“I got to meet some pretty amazing actors,” she said. “I was a stand-in at the time for Kate Mara who was one of the football players’ girlfriends in We Are Marshall. That was a surreal experience. I was star struck at the time. I’ve had a lot of moments like that where I meet people I grew up watching.”
Ironically, Burns’ biggest project to date – a film titled Aquarium – was filmed at Marshall University in Huntington. Burns’ costar, Steve Judy, who is also a producer on the film, got his degree at Marshall University.
“I still get a lot of work from home,” Burns said. “You’d be surprised how often I’m running back home to West Virginia to shoot projects with other West Virginia creators.”
Aquarium recently had a premier in Huntington and will soon be available on Vanalida TV. “It’s a 1950s period piece, and it takes place in a bunker – a Cold War bunker,” Burns explained. “It’s sort of a metaphor for being in a relationship where you’re holding on to a person because you’re scared to let go. It’s about these two people who have realized that they would be better off if they were not together. It’s about the implosion of a relationship.”
Burns said it was a heavy and dramatic subject to film, but is pleased with the final product. “It was a heavy one to film, but beautiful nonetheless,” she said. “I loved doing it and getting to work with them. I have not worked on an indie set that had such great people working behind it. Of course, Marshall University was super helpful. They were very supportive of us. They gave us props and the space. They were wonderful.”
Aquarium was filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Burns said it felt as though the film was a real “art imitates life” situation, knowing that several relationships around the world crumbled due to being quarantined together for a long period of time.
After filming Aquarium, things slowed down a bit, partially due to the SAGAFTRA strike, but now that the strike is over, Burns hopes to get back to work and in front of the camera again. During the down time, she had modeling jobs and has been featured several times in Gladys Magazine. She has also taken time to write her own screenplays that she hopes to develop in the future.
“I’ve got a couple scripts that I’m working on,” she said. “The hardest part is just putting it out there. It’s a vulnerable process, but it’s also very cathartic. I’ve got a couple horror, supernatural pieces. I don’t seem like the type of person, but I love scary movies. I grew up watching them with my dad. I think I’ve always had a love for them and would really love to write my own – in my own way.
“I’ve got a very artistic horror film in mind that I hope to bring to life one day,” she added. While she is honing her craft and developing her own stories, Burns continues to consume media in every form to find inspiration and to expand her horizons. “I’m always watching things that are making me feel better for watching them,” she said. “Whether you’re an actor, director or someone in the industry, you’re always watching to make yourself better.
“I just watched Poor Things at the theater,” she continued. “It’s a wild one. It’s very experimental and pushing the bar. It’s a beautiful film. It’s well acted; well shot and good directors. It hit every mark, but it does push the boundaries. “I think that’s what inspires me to do what I’m doing.”
Burns is the daughter of Matthew and Patricia Burns, of Lewisburg, and the granddaughter of Nancy Martin, and the late Jim Martin; and Larry and Shelia Burns, all of Marlinton.
