---
name: "LeVar Burton"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/levar-burton"
fi1m_id: "levar-burton"
imdb_id: "nm0000996"
tmdb_id: 2390
wikidata_id: "Q312570"
roles: ["Actor","Director"]
born: "16 February 1957"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 11
average_fi1m_score: 65
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 9
updated: "2026-10-05T20:04:58.873469+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# LeVar Burton

## Identity

LeVar Burton

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/levar-burton
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** levar-burton
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000996
- **TMDB ID:** 2390
- **Wikidata ID:** Q312570
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeVar_Burton, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312570, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000996/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2390

Actor and director. Born 16 February 1957 in Landstuhl, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Director
- **Born:** 16 February 1957, Landstuhl, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany
- **Active:** 1977–present
- **Also known as:** Levar Burton, Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr. 
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 11: 9 acting, 2 directing
- **Frequently works with:** [Jonathan Frakes](https://film.one/person/jonathan-frakes.md), [Rick Berman](https://film.one/person/rick-berman.md), [Brent Spiner](https://film.one/person/brent-spiner.md), [Michael Dorn](https://film.one/person/michael-dorn.md), [Patrick Stewart](https://film.one/person/patrick-stewart.md), [Peter Lauritson](https://film.one/person/peter-lauritson.md), [Ronald D. Moore](https://film.one/person/ronald-d-moore.md), [Brannon Braga](https://film.one/person/brannon-braga.md)
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy nomination
- **Average Fi1m score:** 65, as actor, over 9 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 83 (1), 1980s 84 (1), 1990s 68 (4), 2000s 67 (4), 2020s 46 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 63 to 60 across 8 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 4 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 6 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Action 4, Adventure 4, Science Fiction 4, Thriller 4, Comedy 3, Drama 2
- **Screen time:** 12 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $548m across 6 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeVar_Burton, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312570, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000996/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2390

## Streaming the US now

- **Hulu:** [*Star Trek: First Contact*](https://film.one/film/star-trek-first-contact.md) (82), [*Star Trek: Insurrection*](https://film.one/film/star-trek-insurrection.md) (58), [*Star Trek: Generations*](https://film.one/film/star-trek-generations.md) (48)
- **Paramount+:** [*Star Trek: Deep Space Nine*](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-deep-space-nine.md) (85), [*Star Trek: The Next Generation*](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-the-next-generation.md) (84)
- **Apple TV:** [*Star Trek: Nemesis*](https://film.one/film/star-trek-nemesis.md) (50)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on LeVar Burton

> LeVar Burton makes a capable engineer engaging company. His Geordi La Forge brings warmth to *Star Trek*'s busy ensemble, though his name in a supporting cast is not enough to recommend a film.

Playing Geordi La Forge behind a VISOR, LeVar Burton has to establish a capable engineer without the usual help of his eyes. The voice and the way he addresses his colleagues have to do more of the work. He makes technical competence feel sociable. We rate that sort of ensemble acting: it gives us a reason to care about the person responsible for keeping the machinery working.

The route there was not straightforward. *Roots* (1977) made him known as Kunta Kinte at 19, and it initially proved difficult to be recognised as anyone else. *Reading Rainbow* (1983–2006), which he hosted and executive-produced, gave his warmth and authority another use: encouraging an audience to read. *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (1987–1994) then gave him seven seasons to establish Geordi, followed by four feature films.

*Star Trek: First Contact* (1996), directed by his co-star Jonathan Frakes, is the clearest recommendation. We were unsettled by its streak of horror because we had come to enjoy watching this warmly played crew together. Patrick Stewart gives the drama its weight, while Burton supplies the capable engineer within a crowded supporting cast. Geordi exchanges the VISOR for ocular implants here, removing the obstruction across Burton's eyes but keeping technology central to the character. Frakes makes a tense adventure out of this company, though some of the explanations are hurried enough to test a newcomer.

*One Night Only* (2026), in which Burton plays Rick, is a much weaker reason to seek him out. Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner make an appealing pair, but the annual sex-exemption premise remains grim and the romantic comedy too timid to make it funny. Those failings offer little reason to revise our view of Burton, and no reason to recommend the film on the strength of his involvement. We would not choose it simply to spend more time with a familiar actor. Start with *First Contact*, and forgive the hurried explanations.

## Biography

LeVar Burton is an American actor, director and television host. He played Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge in the series *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (1987–1994) and the film *Star Trek: First Contact* (1996), and portrayed Kunta Kinte in the miniseries *Roots* (1977).

Born in Landstuhl, Germany, in 1957 and raised in Sacramento, California, Burton studied at the University of Southern California. He hosted the educational series *Reading Rainbow* from 1983 to 2006 and has directed episodes of several television series. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (11)

### Performed in (9) — the average rests on these

- *One Night Only* (2026), Fi1m 46, as Rick — [page](https://film.one/film/one-night-only.md)
- *Community* (2009), Fi1m 83, as LeVar Burton — [page](https://film.one/tv/community.md)
- *The Big Bang Theory* (2007), Fi1m 68, as LeVar Burton — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-big-bang-theory.md)
- *Star Trek: Nemesis* (2002), Fi1m 50, as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-nemesis.md)
- *Ali* (2001), Fi1m 68, as Martin Luther King, Jr. — [page](https://film.one/film/ali.md)
- *Star Trek: Insurrection* (1998), Fi1m 58, as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-insurrection.md)
- *Star Trek: First Contact* (1996), Fi1m 82, as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-first-contact.md)
- *Star Trek: Generations* (1994), Fi1m 48, as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge — [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-generations.md)
- *Roots* (1977), Fi1m 83, as Kunta Kinte — [page](https://film.one/tv/roots.md)

### Directed (2)

- *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine* (1993), Fi1m 85, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-deep-space-nine.md)
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (1987), Fi1m 84, as Geordi La Forge — [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-the-next-generation.md)

## Complete filmography (100)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *One Night Only* (2026), as Rick — Fi1m 46, [page](https://film.one/film/one-night-only.md)
- *Strip Law* (2026), series, as (voice)
- *Weather Hunters* (2025), series, as Flexspecs (voice), Great Grandpa Wallace (voice)
- *Carol & the End of the World* (2023), series, as (voice)
- *Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale Event* (2023), as Commodore Geordi La Forge
- *The Right to Read* (2023), Executive Producer
- *Tom Swift* (2022), series, as Barclay (voice)
- *Secrets of Sacred Architecture* (2022), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Legend of Vox Machina* (2022), series, as Undead Thordak (voice)
- *NCIS: Hawaiʻi* (2021), series, Director
- *Leverage: Redemption* (2021), series, as Mr. Blanche
- *INVINCIBLE* (2021), series, as Suit AI (voice) — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/invincible-2021.md)
- *Beyond the Spotlight* (2020), series, Actor
- *Definition Please* (2020), as LeVar Burton
- *Star Trek: Picard* (2020), series, as Commodore Geordi La Forge — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-picard.md)
- *Weird City* (2019), series, as Dr. Negari
- *Brentwood* (2018), as LeVar Burton
- *Explained* (2018), series, as Narrator (voice)
- *OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes* (2017), series, as Kwame
- *Transformers: Rescue Bots - Rescue Family* (2017), Actor
- *School of the Future* (2016), Actor
- *Roots* (2016), series, as Ephraim · Co-Executive Producer
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...* (2014), as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
- *NCIS: New Orleans* (2014), series, Director
- *Scorpion* (2014), series, Director
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command* (2014), as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation - Unification* (2013), as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation - Redemption* (2013), as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds* (2013), as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)
- *Rise of the Zombies* (2012), as Dr. Dan Halpern
- *Perception* (2012), series, as Paul Haley · Director
- *Finding Your Roots* (2012), series, Actor
- *Transformers: Rescue Bots* (2012), series, as Doc Green (voice)
- *The Jensen Project* (2010), as Kendrick
- *Adventure Time* (2010), series, as Bubble (voice)
- *Taken in Broad Daylight* (2009), as Mike Timbrook
- *Superman/Batman: Public Enemies* (2009), as Black Lightning (voice)
- *Community* (2009), series, as LeVar Burton — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/community.md)
- *Reach for Me* (2008), as Nathanial · Director
- *The Big Bang Theory* (2007), series, as LeVar Burton — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-big-bang-theory.md)
- *Miracle's Boys* (2005), series, Director
- *Las Vegas* (2003), series, Director
- *Blizzard* (2003), as Night Watchman Elf (uncredited) · Director
- *Star Trek: Nemesis* (2002), as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-nemesis.md)
- *Boomtown* (2002), series, as Marvin Lloyd
- *Ali* (2001), as Martin Luther King, Jr. — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/ali.md)
- *Star Trek: Enterprise* (2001), series, Director
- *Soul Food* (2000), series, Director
- *Smart House* (1999), Director
- *Futurama* (1999), series, as Unlicensed Hologram of LeVar Burton (voice) — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/futurama.md)
- *Family Guy* (1999), series, as Vern (voice), LeVar Burton (voice) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/family-guy.md)
- *Our Friend, Martin* (1999), as Martin at Age 26 (voice)
- *Star Trek: Insurrection* (1998), as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-insurrection.md)
- *Becker* (1998), series, as Mr. Haller
- *Charmed* (1998), series, Director
- *The Tiger Woods Story* (1998), Director
- *Star Trek: First Contact* (1996), as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-first-contact.md)
- *Yesterday's Target* (1996), as Winstrom
- *JAG* (1995), series, Director
- *Pinky and the Brain* (1995), series, as Murray (voice)
- *Deadly Games* (1995), series, as Mr. Metcalf
- *Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child* (1995), series, as The Monk (voice)
- *Star Trek: Voyager* (1995), series, as Captain Geordi La Forge · Director
- *Star Trek: Generations* (1994), as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge — Fi1m 48, [page](https://film.one/film/star-trek-generations.md)
- *Gargoyles* (1994), series, as Anansi/Poacher 2 (voice)
- *Parallel Lives* (1994), as Dr. Franklin Carter
- *Christy* (1994), series, as Daniel Scott
- *Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland* (1993), as Fire Chief J. Allan Mather
- *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes* (1993), as Geordi La Forge
- *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine* (1993), series, Director — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-deep-space-nine.md)
- *Batman: The Animated Series* (1992), series, as Hayden Sloane (voice)
- *Star Trek: Federation Science* (1992), Actor
- *Captain Planet and the Planeteers* (1990), series, as Kwame (voice)
- *Roots: The Gift* (1988), as Kunta Kinte
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (1987), series, as Geordi La Forge · Director — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-the-next-generation.md)
- *A Special Friendship* (1987), as Ben Sumner
- *Houston Knights* (1987), series, as Jason Evans
- *Liberty* (1986), as Robert Johnson
- *The Supernaturals* (1986), as Pvt. Michael Osgood
- *The Midnight Hour* (1985), as Vinnie Davis
- *And the Children Shall Lead* (1985), as Glenn Scott
- *Booker* (1984), as Davis
- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Reporter Dave Robinson
- *The Jesse Owens Story* (1984), as Professor Preston
- *Emergency Room* (1983), as Ray Walden
- *Reading Rainbow* (1983), series, Executive Producer
- *Grambling's White Tiger* (1981), as Charles 'Tank' Smith
- *The Acorn People* (1981), as Rodney
- *The Hunter* (1980), as Tommy Price
- *Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones* (1980), series, as Richard Jefferson
- *Trapper John, M.D.* (1979), series, Actor
- *Dummy* (1979), as Donald Lang
- *One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story* (1978), as Ron LeFlore
- *Battered* (1978), as Andrew Sinclair
- *Looking for Mr. Goodbar* (1977), as Cap Jackson
- *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Darnell Hall
- *Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid* (1977), as Billy Peoples
- *Roots* (1977), series, as Kunta Kinte — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/roots.md)
- *Roots: The Complete Miniseries* (1977), series, as Kunta Kinte
- *Almos' a Man* (1976), as Dave

## Gallery

- ![LeVar Burton](https://film.one/media/person/86964/gallery-0f3fbc88e83e.jpg) LeVar Burton — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/LeVar_Burton_Photo_Op_GalaxyCon_Raleigh_2023.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![LeVar Burton at the Florida Supercon in 2017](https://film.one/media/person/86964/gallery-282bfa33f985.jpg) LeVar Burton at the Florida Supercon in 2017 — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/LeVar_Burton_%2823790983098%29.jpg/1280px-LeVar_Burton_%2823790983098%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![LeVar Burton in 2016](https://film.one/media/person/86964/gallery-5b7327c9be3d.jpg) LeVar Burton in 2016 — Mike Muegel, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/LeVar_Burton_%2829433269991%29.jpg/1280px-LeVar_Burton_%2829433269991%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![LeVar Burton in 2016](https://film.one/media/person/86964/gallery-4dad111e1bcd.jpg) LeVar Burton in 2016 — Mike Muegel, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/LeVar_Burton_%2829513494585%29.jpg/1280px-LeVar_Burton_%2829513494585%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![LeVar Burton](https://film.one/media/person/86964/gallery-a06fadb15e33.jpg) LeVar Burton — Image via TMDB
- ![LeVar Burton](https://film.one/media/person/86964/gallery-e869fefd5d1e.jpg) LeVar Burton — Image via TMDB
- ![LeVar Burton](https://film.one/media/person/86964/gallery-acfb8224d13c.jpg) LeVar Burton — Image via TMDB
- ![LeVar Burton (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/86964/gallery-9f0496a095ed.jpg) LeVar Burton (2017) — Crosa from Nuernberg, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/LeVar_Burton_%2834314710224%29.jpg/1280px-LeVar_Burton_%2834314710224%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![LeVar Burton (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/86964/gallery-1ae2bd3d6976.jpg) LeVar Burton (2017) — Crosa from Nuernberg, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/LeVar_Burton_%2834349881503%29.jpg/1280px-LeVar_Burton_%2834349881503%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1977: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (nominated), for *Roots*

### Other awards — 9 won, 6 nominated

- National Humanities Medal 2023: National Humanities Medal (won)
- Ignyte Award for Best Fiction Podcast 2020: Ignyte Award for Best Fiction Podcast (won)
- The Ember Award 2020: The Ember Award (won)
- Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2006: Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (nominated)
- Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2005: Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (nominated)
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special 2005: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special (nominated), for *Reading Rainbow*
- Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2004: Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (nominated)
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special 2003: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special (won), for *Reading Rainbow*
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special 2002: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special (won), for *Reading Rainbow*
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special 2001: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special (nominated), for *Reading Rainbow*
- Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording 1999: Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording (won)
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special 1999: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special (won), for *Reading Rainbow*
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special 1998: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special (nominated), for *Reading Rainbow*
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special 1994: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Series or Special (won), for *Reading Rainbow*
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture 1980: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture (won), for *The Hunter*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/levar-burton