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 Biography: 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. |
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