Sara Canning Biography: Height, Ethnicity, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Parents, Awards, Movies, Partner

Sara Canning is a Canadian actress whose breakout performance as Jenna Sommers on The Vampire Diaries introduced her to a global audience.

Born in Newfoundland but raised in Alberta, she captured attention with her portrayal of Elena Gilbert’s guardian, striking a balance between strength and vulnerability.

Beyond that, Canning has taken on roles in diverse projects—from the gothic period piece Black Field to high-profile franchises like War for the Planet of the Apes.

Profile

• Full name: Sara Canning
• Date of birth: July 14, 1987
• Age: 38 years old
• Gender: Female
• Place of birth: Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
• State of origin: Newfoundland and Labrador
• Nationality: Canadian
• Profession: Actress
• Height: 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
• Parents: Wayne Canning; Daphne Canning
• Siblings: Only child
• Spouse: None
• Children: None
• Relationship status: Single
• Religion: Christian
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Net worth: US $1.5 million

Early Life and Education

Sara Canning was born on July 14, 1987, in Gander and spent her early years in Brown’s Arm, Newfoundland. At age eleven, her family relocated to Sherwood Park, Alberta. She is the daughter of Wayne and Daphne Canning. She competed as a figure skater before discovering theatre at F.R. Haythorne Junior High.

She continued performing at Bev Facey Community High School, graduating around 2005, and briefly studied general arts at the University of Alberta. At 19, she left to pursue acting, completing a year-long screen acting program at Vancouver Film School in 2007.

Personal Life

Canning maintains a private personal life. She has never married, does not have any children, and does not discuss her romantic relationships publicly. After filming The Vampire Diaries, she lived in Atlanta, Georgia, for two years before returning to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Career

Sarah Canning made her professional stage debut at 18 in George Orwell’s 1984 at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre. Transitioning to screen in 2008, she appeared in Paparazzi Princess: The Paris Hilton Story, followed by guest spots on Smallville and Kyle XY.

In 2009, she starred in the gothic drama Black Field and landed her signature role as Jenna Sommers on The Vampire Diaries (2009–2011; guest appearances through 2017).

She went on to lead the sci-fi series Primeval: New World (2012–2013) and the medical drama Remedy (2014–2015). Her film work includes War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), Level 16 (2018), The Banana Splits Movie (2018), Superhost (2021), Influencer (2022), Sweetland (2023), and Dark Match (2024).

Awards and Nominations

• 2012 Leo Award – Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Feature Length Drama (Hannah’s Law): Nominated
• 2014 UBCP/ACTRA Award – Best Actress Award (Remedy): Won
• 2015 Leo Award – Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series (Remedy): Won
• 2015 UBCP/ACTRA Award – Best Guest Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series (Hell on Wheels): Nominated
• 2017 Leo Award – Best Guest Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series (A Series of Unfortunate Events): Nominated

Net Worth

Sara Canning’s net worth is estimated to be US$1.5 million, earned through her work on television series, feature films, and ongoing acting engagements.

Social Media

• Instagram: @saracanning
• X: @saradjcanning

Filmography

• Slap Shot 3: The Junior League (2008) – Hope
• Black Field (2009) – Maggie McGregor
• The Right Kind of Wrong (2013) – Colette
• I Put a Hit on You (2014) – Harper
• Eadweard (2015) – Flora Shallcross Stone
• Hello Destroyer (2016) – Wendy Davis
• War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) – Lake
• Level 16 (2018) – Miss Brixil
• The Banana Splits Movie (2018) – Rebecca
• Superhost (2021) – Claire
• Influencer (2022) – Jessica
• Sweetland (2023) – Clara
• Dark Match (2024) – Kate the Great