The multi-talented LeVar Burton has been capturing the attention of
audiences and peers for over two decades, and has catapulted to a new level
within the industry. Whether acting, directing, producing or writing, LeVar
proves he can do it all.
LeVar's first career choice was not in the field of entertainment. At the
age of thirteen he entered a Catholic Seminary to study for the priesthood. For
him, being a priest would fulfill his need to express himself spiritually and
to be of service to his community. However, four years later, he decided that
an acting career would better fill those needs, so he left the seminary and
accepted a full academic scholarship to the University of Southern California
to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
LeVar's first professional audition, at the age of nineteen, led to his
being cast as Kunta Kinte in the acclaimed miniseries Roots. The phenomenal
success of Roots launched his career as an actor, and earned him an Emmy
nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Mini Series. What followed were starring
roles in a string of television movies, including Dummy, Grambling's White
Tiger, The Guyana Tragedy and A Roots Christmas; Kunta Kinte's Gift. His more
recent work includes Parallel Lives, Yesterday's Target and Firestorm. He also
performed a starring role in the television series Christie. Among his early
feature film credits are Looking for Mr. Goodbar and The Hunter, with Steve
McQueen.
LeVar is internationally known for his portrayal as Lt. Commander Geordi
LaForge in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He starred in
the box office hits Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek; Insurrection, Star
Trek: Generations, and Star Trek: Nemesis.
LeVar has directed numerous episodes of all four Star Trek series: The Next
Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise as well as various episodes
of Charmed and Las Vegas. His first dramatic television movie, The Tiger Woods
Story, which he directed for Showtime, received great critical acclaim as well
as three Emmy nominations. He also directed the Disney Channel original film
Smart House.
LeVar received a Grammy Award for his narration of the book, The
Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr. Included in the titles LeVar has
recorded on tape are The Watsons Go to Birmingham, The Miles Davis
Story and The Jackie Robinson Story.
For twenty-five seasons he acted as the host and co-executive producer of
the highly acclaimed PBS children's television series Reading Rainbow. His role
in producing and starring in the series garnered him a total of ten Emmy
Awards, five NAACP Awards and multiple nominations. He is most proud of Reading
Rainbow's ability to use the medium of television to help create "human beings
who are passionate about literature". As a staunch advocate for children's
literacy, LeVar is frequently called upon to lecture on the subject by
organizations around the world.
LeVar made his debut as an author in 1997 with his novel Aftermath.
This science fiction thriller from Warner Books takes place in the year 2019
and chronicles the efforts of four individuals who are struggling to pick up
the pieces in the aftermath of a race war that all but destroys America.
LeVar's first feature film was Blizzard, shot in Toronto and Quebec City. It
stars Whoopi Goldberg, Christopher Plummer, Brenda Blethyn, Kevin Pollak and
was produced by Robert Schwartz and Ralph Winter. LeVar's second feature, Reach
For Me, starring Alfre Woodard and Seymour Cassel, and targeted for release in
theatres in 2008.
LeVar was born in Landsthul, West Germany where his father was stationed
during military service. He was two years old when his family returned to the
United States, where he was raised and educated in the parochial tradition.
