Actor

LeVar Burton: Movies & Box Office

films: 45
as director: 1
on screen: 1977–2026
box office: $417M
average score: 71

Born: February 16, 1957 (age 69)
Birthplace: Landstuhl, West Germany
Full name: Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr.
Citizenship: United States
Occupations: Actor, television host, director, author
Years active: 1976-present
Spouses: Stephanie Cozart
Children: 2

Biggest hits

The Best LeVar Burton Movies

The films of LeVar Burton that made the most at the worldwide box office, biggest first: Star Trek: First Contact (1996) leads with $146M. The full ranking adds the most awarded films and the newest releases.

Full ranking

Career at a glance

LeVar Burton's Career in Numbers

LeVar Burton's films in numbers — as an actor, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres LeVar Burton works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Roots (1977) to One Night Only (2026), and the 1990s were the busiest decade.

LeVar Burton Movies by Decade

1970s 3
1980s 7
1990s 14
2000s 2
2010s 3
2020s 3

The 1990s were LeVar Burton's busiest decade, with 14 films.

LeVar Burton Movies by Genre

Drama 8
Action 6
Sci-Fi 5
Family 3
Tv movie 3
Adventure 2
Comedy 1
Music 1
Thriller 1
Documentary 1

Drama is the genre LeVar Burton has worked in most, with 8 films, ahead of action (6).

LeVar Burton Career Milestones

First film: Roots 1977
Biggest box office hit: Star Trek: First Contact $146M worldwide
Best-rated film: Definition Please Movie Echo Score 73
Newest film: One Night Only 2026

45 credits

LeVar Burton Filmography: Every Movie

Every film LeVar Burton is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. 1 as director and 31 as actor. Rated films average a score of 71. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

Movies Directed by LeVar Burton

1998 The Tiger Woods Story Drama

LeVar Burton Movies as an Actor

LeVar Burton in Documentaries & Specials

Biography

Who Is LeVar Burton?

LeVar Burton was born in Landstuhl, West Germany in 1957 and is 69 years old. Credited on films since 1977, as an actor. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr., known as LeVar Burton, has captivated audiences with his talents as an actor, television host, director, and author. LeVar is vividly remembered for his iconic performances across various media. His journey began when he played Kunta Kinte in the 1977 ABC miniseries 'Roots', followed by Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994). As a television host, he is recognized for steering the educational television series Reading Rainbow on PBS Kids for a whopping 23 years (1983–2006), bagging 12 Daytime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award for his efforts.

LeVar Burton's other notable roles are: Cap Jackson in 'Looking for Mr. Goodbar' (1977), Donald Lang in 'Dummy' (1979), Tommy Price in 'The Hunter' (1980), and Martin Luther King Jr. in 'Ali' (2001). His role in 'The Hunter' won him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture. Moreover, he was honored with the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for narrating 'The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.' In 1990, his pioneering work in television was recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. LeVar stepped into a new venture in the form of podcast storytelling with 'LeVar Burton Reads' in 2017, attracting an adult fan base. His dedication to Reading Rainbow extended even after the series ended in 2006, buying the rights and transforming it into an iPad application under the banner RRKIDZ.

Works with

Who LeVar Burton Makes Movies With

The actors and directors LeVar Burton shares the most films with. Patrick Stewart comes first, with 15 films together, followed by Jonathan Frakes (12).

FAQ

LeVar Burton: Questions & Answers

How many movies LeVar Burton has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has LeVar Burton been in?

LeVar Burton is credited on 45 films, from 1977 to 2026. 31 of them as an actor and 1 as a director. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is LeVar Burton's highest-grossing movie?

Star Trek: First Contact (1996) is LeVar Burton's biggest box office hit, with $146M worldwide, ahead of Star Trek: Generations (1994) ($118M). Across every film with box office figures, LeVar Burton's movies have made $417M.

LeVar Burton's biggest hits

What is the best LeVar Burton movie?

By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, LeVar Burton's best-rated film is Butterfly in the Sky (2024) with a score of 85, followed by Definition Please (2022) (73).

Best LeVar Burton movies, ranked

How old is LeVar Burton?

LeVar Burton is 69 years old, born on February 16, 1957 in Landstuhl, West Germany.

What is LeVar Burton's newest movie?

The most recent film on LeVar Burton's filmography is One Night Only (2026), in the role of Turner's mom partner.

Who does LeVar Burton work with most often?

LeVar Burton shares the most films with Patrick Stewart (15 films), Jonathan Frakes (12 films) and Marina Sirtis (12 films).

The Best LeVar Burton Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 45 credits.

See the ranking

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