Barnes has starred in numerous South African produced films and series including Egoli, 7de Laan, Binnelanders, Scandal!, Sorted, Suburban Bliss, S.O.S. and the South African/Canadian co-production Jozi-H. She appears in the 2014 American television series Black Sails, for which she has received critical acclaim for her performance. Entertainment weekly called her character "intriguing" and "mysterious". She reprised her role in the second season which filmed in Cape Town, South Africa and aired in 2015.
