LeVar Burton
Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr. (born February 16, 1957) is an American actor, director, and television host. He played Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994), Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries Roots (1977), and was the host of the PBS Kids educational television series Reading Rainbow for 23 years (1983–2006). Burton received 12 Daytime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award as host and executive producer of Reading Rainbow. His other roles include Cap Jackson in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Donald Lang in Dummy (1979), Tommy Price in The Hunter (1980), which earned him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, and Martin Luther King Jr. in Ali (2001). Burton received the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards for his narration of the book The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr. In 1990, he was honored for his accomplishments in television with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. From 2017 until 2024, Burton created and hosted the podcast LeVar Burton Reads, often described as "Reading Rainbow for adults". In October 2024, Burton appeared as the host of the Trivial Pursuit television game show broadcast on The CW network and streaming online.
Filmography
One Night Only
as Rick
One Night Only
as Rick
To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager
as Self
To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager
as Self
Butterfly in the Sky
as Self
Butterfly in the Sky
as Self
Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale Event
as Commodore Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale Event
as Commodore Geordi La Forge
Secrets of Sacred Architecture
as Narrator (voice)
Secrets of Sacred Architecture
as Narrator (voice)
Definition Please
as LeVar Burton
Definition Please
as LeVar Burton
Brentwood
as LeVar Burton
Brentwood
as LeVar Burton
School of the Future
School of the Future
Lennon or McCartney
as Self
Lennon or McCartney
as Self
Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...
as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...
as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
A Star Is Drawn: Rob Simone's Look Inside Comic-Con
as Self
A Star Is Drawn: Rob Simone's Look Inside Comic-Con
as Self
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds
as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds
as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)
Reunification - 25 Years After Star Trek: The Next Generation
as Self
Reunification - 25 Years After Star Trek: The Next Generation
as Self
And They're Off
as Self
And They're Off
as Self
The Jensen Project
as Kendrick
The Jensen Project
as Kendrick
Taken in Broad Daylight
as Mike Timbrook
Taken in Broad Daylight
as Mike Timbrook
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
as Black Lightning (voice)
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
as Black Lightning (voice)
Reach for Me
as Nathanial
Reach for Me
as Nathanial
40 Years of Star Trek
as Self
40 Years of Star Trek
as Self
Ali
as Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ali
as Martin Luther King, Jr.
Our Friend, Martin
as Martin at Age 26 (voice)
Our Friend, Martin
as Martin at Age 26 (voice)
Star Trek: Insurrection
as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: Insurrection
as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Trekkies
as Self
Trekkies
as Self
Star Trek: First Contact
as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: First Contact
as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
as Self
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
as Self
Yesterday's Target
as Winstrom
Yesterday's Target
as Winstrom
Star Trek: Generations
as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: Generations
as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Parallel Lives
as Dr. Franklin Carter
Parallel Lives
as Dr. Franklin Carter
Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation
as Self
Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation
as Self
Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland
as Fire Chief J. Allan Mather
Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland
as Fire Chief J. Allan Mather
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes
as Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes
as Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: Federation Science
Star Trek: Federation Science
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
as Self
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
as Self
Central Park
as Self
Central Park
as Self
Roots: The Gift
as Kunta Kinte
Roots: The Gift
as Kunta Kinte
A Special Friendship
as Ben Sumner
A Special Friendship
as Ben Sumner
Liberty
as Robert Johnson
Liberty
as Robert Johnson
The Supernaturals
as Pvt. Michael Osgood
The Supernaturals
as Pvt. Michael Osgood
The Midnight Hour
as Vinnie Davis
The Midnight Hour
as Vinnie Davis
And the Children Shall Lead
as Glenn Scott
And the Children Shall Lead
as Glenn Scott
Booker
as Davis
Booker
as Davis
The Jesse Owens Story
as Professor Preston
The Jesse Owens Story
as Professor Preston
Emergency Room
as Ray Walden
Emergency Room
as Ray Walden
I Love Liberty
as Self
I Love Liberty
as Self
Grambling's White Tiger
as Charles 'Tank' Smith
Grambling's White Tiger
as Charles 'Tank' Smith
The Acorn People
as Rodney
The Acorn People
as Rodney
The Hunter
as Tommy Price
The Hunter
as Tommy Price
Dummy
as Donald Lang
Dummy
as Donald Lang
The Muppets Go Hollywood
as Self (uncredited)
The Muppets Go Hollywood
as Self (uncredited)
Mickey's 50
as Self
Mickey's 50
as Self
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story
as Ron LeFlore
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story
as Ron LeFlore
Battered
as Andrew Sinclair
Battered
as Andrew Sinclair
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
as Cap Jackson
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
as Cap Jackson
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
as Billy Peoples
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
as Billy Peoples
US Against the World
as Self
US Against the World
as Self
Almos' a Man
as Dave
Almos' a Man
as Dave
Make-Up Man: The Michael Westmore Documentary
as Self
Make-Up Man: The Michael Westmore Documentary
as Self