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LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton

Actor and director, also producer · Born February 16, 1957 (69) · Landstuhl, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany

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.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 16, 1957 (69)
From
Landstuhl, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany
Works as
Actor and director, also producer
Titles
65 on MovieCove · 101 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

What are LeVar Burton's films like?

Across their 33 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Genres

Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
24%
Society
21%
Morality
17%
Bonds
15%
Survival
10%
Ideas
7%
Power
5%
Community10 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 27 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 10 · Serious 7 · Dark 10

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 21 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 14 · Intense 6

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 15 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 19 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 3

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 13 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 13 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 7

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

10 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 4 of 10 analyzed roles.

Mentor
4 of 10
Hero
3 of 10
Ally
3 of 10
Show the 10 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Hopeful
16
Tense
14
Warm
13
Contemplative
10
Thrilling
8
Other
27

How their films linger

Hopeful19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet13
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch LeVar Burton's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 48 of their 65 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Paramount+ (14).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for LeVar Burton's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

101 credits, 65 with a MovieCove page; 41 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • One Night Only(2026)

    as Rick

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Strip Law(2026)

    Show 1 episode · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • Weather Hunters(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as Flexspecs (voice) · as Great Grandpa Wallace (voice)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Carol & the End of the World(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale Event (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Commodore Geordi La Forge

  • The Right to Read(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Tom Swift(2022)

    Show 10 episodes · as Barclay (voice)

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • Secrets of Sacred Architecture(2022)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Legend of Vox Machina(2022)

    Show 2 episodes · as Undead Thordak (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • NCIS: Hawai'i(2021)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Leverage: Redemption(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Blanche

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Invincible(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Suit AI (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Beyond the Spotlight(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Definition Please (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as LeVar Burton

  • Star Trek: Picard(2020)

    Show 5 episodes · as Commodore Geordi La Forge

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Weird City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · as Dr. Negari

  • Brentwood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as LeVar Burton

  • Explained(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Kwame

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Transformers: Rescue Bots - Rescue Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Actor

  • School of the Future (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Roots(2016)

    Show 4 episodes · Co-Executive Producer · as Ephraim

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge

  • NCIS: New Orleans(2014)

    Show 9 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Scorpion(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • Star Trek: The Next Generation - Unification (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • Star Trek: The Next Generation - Redemption (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge

  • Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)

  • Rise of the Zombies(2012)

    as Dr. Dan Halpern

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Perception(2012)

    Show 35 episodes · Director · as Paul Haley

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Finding Your Roots(2012)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Transformers: Rescue Bots(2011)

    Show 104 episodes · as Doc Green (voice)

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • The Jensen Project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Kendrick

  • Adventure Time(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Bubble (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Taken in Broad Daylight(2009)

    as Mike Timbrook

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Superman/Batman: Public Enemies(2009)

    as Black Lightning (voice)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Community(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as LeVar Burton

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Reach for Me(2008)

    Director · as Nathanial

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Big Bang Theory(2007)

    Show 3 episodes · as LeVar Burton

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Miracle's Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust(2004)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Las Vegas(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Blizzard(2003)

    Director · as Night Watchman Elf (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: Nemesis(2002)

    as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Boomtown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Marvin Lloyd

  • Ali(2001)

    as Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: Enterprise(2001)

    Show 9 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Soul Food (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Smart House(1999)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Futurama(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Unlicensed Hologram of LeVar Burton (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Family Guy(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as LeVar Burton (voice) · as Vern (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Our Friend, Martin(1999)

    as Martin at Age 26 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: Insurrection(1998)

    as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Becker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Haller

  • Charmed(1998)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The Tiger Woods Story(1998)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: First Contact(1996)

    as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Yesterday's Target (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Winstrom

  • JAG(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Pinky and the Brain(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Murray (voice)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Deadly Games (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Metcalf

  • Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as The Monk (voice)

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek: Voyager(1995)

    Show 8 episodes · Director · as Captain Geordi La Forge

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek: Generations(1994)

    as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Gargoyles(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Anansi/Poacher 2 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Parallel Lives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Dr. Franklin Carter

  • Christy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 7 episodes · as Daniel Scott

  • Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland(1993)

    as Fire Chief J. Allan Mather

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Geordi La Forge

  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine(1993)

    Show 10 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Batman: The Animated Series(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Hayden Sloane (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek: Federation Science (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Actor

  • Captain Planet and the Planeteers(1990)

    Show 113 episodes · as Kwame (voice)

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Roots: The Gift(1988)

    as Kunta Kinte

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: The Next Generation(1987)

    Show 176 episodes · Director · as Geordi La Forge

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • A Special Friendship (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Ben Sumner

  • Houston Knights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Jason Evans

  • Liberty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Robert Johnson

  • The Supernaturals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Pvt. Michael Osgood

  • The Midnight Hour(1985)

    as Vinnie Davis

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • And the Children Shall Lead(1985)

    as Glenn Scott

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Booker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Davis

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Reporter Dave Robinson

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • The Jesse Owens Story(1984)

    as Professor Preston

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Emergency Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Ray Walden

  • Reading Rainbow(1983)

    Show 155 episodes · Executive Producer · as Self - Host

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Grambling's White Tiger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Charles 'Tank' Smith

  • The Acorn People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Rodney

  • The Hunter(1980)

    as Tommy Price

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 2 episodes · as Richard Jefferson

  • Trapper John, M.D. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Dummy(1979)

    as Donald Lang

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Battered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Andrew Sinclair

  • One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Ron LeFlore

  • Looking for Mr. Goodbar(1977)

    as Cap Jackson

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Darnell Hall

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid(1977)

    as Billy Peoples

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Roots(1977)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kunta Kinte

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Roots: The Complete Miniseries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Kunta Kinte

  • Almos' a Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Dave

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 100 titles from 1976 to 2026; peak year 1995.

Biggest box office

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

$146M worldwide

Highest rated

Butterfly in the Sky (2022)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Film career

19762026

Peak 1995 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting86 of 100: 80 only acting, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score72ndDirecting17 of 100: 12 only directing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thProducing3 of 100: 2 only producing, 1 with another role

100 titles, 6 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 5 of them.

By decade

1970s10 · acting1980s17 · 16 acting · 2 crew1990s25 · 20 acting · 6 crew2000s13 · 9 acting · 6 crew2010s20 · 18 acting · 4 crew2020s15 · 13 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 0% of 12 roles
7797

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do LeVar Burton's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 26; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 70th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Midcredits score across 65 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up27
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

28 of their 65 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved13
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic7
  • Crowd Pleaser28
  • Mixed15

Most divisive · actor

Tom Swift (2022)

97th percentile spread · 61% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, director

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Midcredits 98th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 20 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 41. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is LeVar Burton's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, alcohol & drugs runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles34–58 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles17–41 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles21–51 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles18–36 · median 22 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles25–49 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does LeVar Burton work with?

People who share at least 2 of LeVar Burton's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael Dorn shares the most, 5.

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles