Hello! I’m Sarah Durn— a journalist, author, and actor.

About

Hi there, I’m Sarah Durn, and I’m a journalist, author, and actor.

As a journalist, I’ve written for National Geographic, Smithsonian, Atlas Obscura, Gizmodo, the AV Club, among many others. I currently work as an Associate Editor at Atlas Obscura, where I edit, report, and write original, wonder-inspiring stories. My stories have delved into everything from the wacky handwashing rituals of medieval Europe for National Geographic to the badassery of Viking female traveler Gudrid for Smithsonian. I previously worked as a writer for Culture Trip editing and writing articles about my adopted home, New Orleans. My work has been translated into multiple languages and has been republished in Brazil, England, and Australia.

I’m the author of the Amazon bestselling book The Beginner’s Guide to Alchemy, published by Callisto and Rockridge Press in May 2020.

As an actor, I’ve worked professionally in film, TV, and theatre. I’m a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA). Most recently in film and TV, I played: Miss Ariel, Kya’s teacher, in the film adaption of Where The Crawdads Sing, produced by Reese Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine, the lead role of Riley in Chris Stuckmann’s debut horror/thriller Shelby Oaks (2023), a supporting role in Chris McKay’s Renfield (2023) opposite Nicholas Cage, Nicholas Hoult, and Awkwafina, and the supporting role of Tara in Christopher Landon’s (Paranormal Activity, Freaky) Netflix feature film We Have A Ghost opposite David Harbour (2023). On TV, I played Jenny Valentine on NBC’s Chicago PD’s “Blood Relation,” co-starred on Boots Riley’s upcoming TV show I’m A Virgo, and co-starred on Ava DuVernay's Queen Sugar.

Some of my favorite theatre roles include regional premieres of The Wolves and A Doll’s House Part 2 at Southern Repertory Theatre (both directed by Aimée Hayes), Cleveland premieres of The Nether (directed by Shannon Sindelar) and Stupid Fucking Bird (directed by Nathan Motta) at Dobama Theatre, and an original production of Aquitania with the Camden Shakespeare Festival alongside Whip Hubley (Top Gun) and directed by Stephen Legawiec. I’m an actor’s Equity Membership Candidate (EMC).