# Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns is an American film and television actress and comedian, best known for playing Krista on HBO's Enlightened.

## Early life

Born on Long Island, New York, Burns has performed improvisational comedy regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, New York.

## Career

Burns is known for her appearances in comedic films and television series. Her film roles include Anne in Slow Learners (2015) opposite Adam Pally, Hailey in I Love You, Man (2009), Harper in Going the Distance (2010) and Janine Groff in Life as We Know It (2010).
She has also appeared in television productions including Damage Control (one episode; 2005), Flight of the Conchords (one episode; 2007), Party Down (one episode; 2010) and Ben and Kate (one episode; 2012). She had a costarring role in the short film Cried Suicide (2010), which was screened at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. Her short film "The First Step" (2012) premiered at the 2013 Seattle International Film Festival.
She appears as part of a recurring cast of sketch players for the Comedy Central television series Drunk History, which premiered in July 2013. In 2015, Burns was a series regular in second season of the FX comedy series Married. Burns was cast as Assistant District Attorney Emily Sinclair in Season Two of the show How to Get Away With Murder.
In 2009, Entertainment Weekly named her one of the "25 Funniest Actresses in Hollywood". In June 2013, Entertainment Weekly named Burns one of "15 Actresses We're Rooting For" as part of its "Emmy Watch".
In 2016, Burns appeared as Margie Turley in the Lorne Michaels-produced Brother Nature. In 2017, Burns appeared as Gabrielle in the HBO original miniseries Big Little Lies and in the Netflix series Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later.
In 2020, Burns appeared as Kaylie in the Netflix film Desperados as well as a major role in the Netflix series Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2007 | Serial | Moira Haggerty | |
| 2009 | I Love You, Man | Hailey | |
| 2010 | Cop Out | Mortuary Attendant | Uncredited |
| 2010 | Monogamy | Ella | |
| 2010 | Going the Distance | Harper | |
| 2010 | Life as We Know It | Janine Groff | |
| 2013 | A.C.O.D. | Margo | |
| 2013 | Enough Said | Female Hiker #1 | |
| 2015 | Grandma | Protester | |
| 2015 | Slow Learners | Anne Martin | |
| 2016 | Brother Nature | Margie Turley | |
| 2017 | Unforgettable | Sarah | |
| 2020 | Desperados | Kaylie | |
| 2020 | Eat Wheaties! | Kate Drew | |
| 2021 | Werewolves Within | Gwen | |
| 2022 | Moving On | Allie | |
| 2024 | Unfrosted | Mrs. Schwinn | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2004 | Jump Cuts | Faye | Episode #1.2 |
| 2005 | My Wife, the Ghost | Sally Wilson | 4 episodes |
| 2005 | I Love the '30s | Faye Grey | Episode: "The Legend of Babe Ruth" |
| 2007 | Bronx World Travelers | Reporter #1 | Episode: "Press Conference" |
| 2007 | Flight of the Conchords | Summer | Episode: "New Fans" |
| 2010 | Party Down | Donna Mullens | Episode: "Not on Your Wife Opening Night" |
| 2011–2013 | Enlightened | Krista Jacobs | 16 episodes |
| 2013 | Ben and Kate | Stephanie | Episode: "Bake Off" |
| 2013 | The New Normal | Megan | Episode: "Dairy Queen" |
| 2013 | First Dates with Toby Harris | Caroline | Episode: "Hello" |
| 2013 | Drunk History | Various | 8 episodes |
| 2013 | Friend Us | Claire Ridings | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2013 | The Mindy Project | Amy | Episode: "You've Got Sext" |
| 2013 | The Eric Andre Show | Herself | Episode: Wink Martindale/Sarah Burns |
| 2014 | Garfunkel and Oates | Cheryl | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | New Girl | Deb | Episode: "Coming Out" |
| 2015 | Married | Amy | 8 episodes |
| 2015 | How to Get Away with Murder | Emily Sinclair | 10 episodes |
| 2017 | Big Little Lies | Gabrielle | 6 episodes |
| 2017 | Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later | Claire | 8 episodes |
| 2017 | Speechless | Marci | Episode: "J-J'S D-R-- DREAM" |
| 2017 | Do You Want to See a Dead Body? | Sarah | Episode: "A Body and a Crater" |
| 2017 | The Oversharer | Woman | Episode: "Thong" |
| 2018 | The 5th Quarter | Janet Jaronski | Episode: "A Lift of Their Own" |
| 2018 | Me, Myself & I | Lisa | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Sideswiped | Nicole | Episode: "The Party" |
| 2018 | American Vandal | Angela Montgomery | 6 episodes |
| 2019–2023 | Barry | Detective Mae Dunn | 13 episodes |
| 2020 | Hot Spot | Julie | Episode: "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" |
| 2020 | Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun | Pirate | Episode: "Treasure" |
| 2021 | Immoral Compass | Kimberly | Episode: "Part 2: Secrets" |
| 2024 | Chad | Jocelyn | Episode: "New Brother" |