LeVar Burton Bio: Age, Height, Wife Stephanie Cozart, Kids, Career, Reading Rainbow, Net Worth & Memoir

LeVar Burton is an American actor, director and television host whose career has touched several generations at once. He played Kunta Kinte in the landmark miniseries Roots, engineered the starship Enterprise as Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation and spent 23 years encouraging children to read as the host of PBS’s Reading Rainbow.

In November 2026, Burton published his memoir, Take My Word for It, and spoke candidly about his bipolar II diagnosis, a mental breakdown during his Reading Rainbow years and the family secrets that shaped him. The book arrives as Reading Rainbow enters a new chapter without him and as Burton continues hosting Trivial Pursuit on The CW. This biography covers his early life, career, wife Stephanie Cozart, children, awards, net worth and more.

Quick Facts

LeVar Burton is often mentioned alongside Stephanie Cozart Burton, his wife of more than three decades; his daughter Mica Burton; Star Trek captain Patrick Stewart; Roots author Alex Haley; and fellow children’s television hosts such as Fred Rogers. His memoir, Take My Word for It, has introduced him to a new audience of readers.

Early Life & Education

Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr. was born on February 16, 1957, in Landstuhl, West Germany. His mother, Erma Gene Burton, was a social worker, administrator and educator. His father, LeVar Burton Sr., was a photographer for the U.S. Army Signal Corps stationed at Landstuhl at the time of his birth.

Burton and his two sisters were raised by their mother in Sacramento, California. His paternal grandparents were educators in rural Arkansas, and his great-great-grandfather, Hal B. Burton, was an African-American state legislator in Arkansas after Reconstruction. That family history became more meaningful to him as an adult, particularly after he starred in Roots.

He was raised Catholic and, upon his confirmation, took on the name Martyn and dropped the “Jr.” from his name. As a teenager, he entered St. Pius X Minor Seminary in Galt, California, intending to become a priest. At 17, he began questioning the Catholic faith and changed his vocation to acting.

Burton studied at the University of Southern California, where he was an undergraduate when he won the role of Kunta Kinte in Roots. The part changed his life overnight and made him one of the most recognizable young actors in America. He has said that acting felt like a calling from the moment he stepped on stage.

Career Journey

Roots and Early Roles (1977–1982)

Burton made his acting debut in 1977 in Almos’ a Man, a television film based on a Richard Wright short story. That same year, he starred as Kunta Kinte in ABC’s Roots, the miniseries based on Alex Haley’s family history. He was 19 years old.

Roots became a national event, drawing record audiences and sparking conversations about slavery, ancestry and race. Burton was nominated for an Emmy for his performance. He later said that playing Kunta Kinte taught him about the resilience of his own ancestors and changed how he saw his place in American history.

He followed Roots with roles in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Dummy (1979) and The Hunter (1980). His performance in The Hunter earned him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture. He also hosted Rebop, a multicultural PBS series for young viewers.

Reading Rainbow and Star Trek (1983–2006)

In 1983, Burton became the host and executive producer of Reading Rainbow, a PBS series designed to encourage children to read. The show ran for 23 seasons, won multiple Daytime Emmy Awards and became a classroom staple. Burton’s warmth, curiosity and willingness to treat children as serious readers made him a trusted figure in millions of homes.

In 1986, Gene Roddenberry approached him to play Lieutenant Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The character was blind but could see through a prosthetic VISOR, and he became the Enterprise’s chief engineer. Burton starred in the series from 1987 to 1994 and in four subsequent Star Trek films.

He also directed episodes of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise, building a second career behind the camera. In 2023, he reprised the role of Geordi La Forge in the final season of Star Trek: Picard.

Podcasts, Trivial Pursuit and Memoir (2017–present)

After Reading Rainbow ended in 2006, Burton and his business partner acquired the global rights to the brand and formed RRKIDZ, later known as LeVar Burton Kids. They launched a Reading Rainbow iPad app and raised more than $5 million on Kickstarter in 2014 to bring the show back in a digital format.

In 2017, he launched LeVar Burton Reads, a podcast in which he reads short fiction and shares his thoughts. The show was described as “Reading Rainbow for adults” and won the 2023 Webby Award for Best Art and Culture Podcast. He accepted with a five-word speech: “Be a better person. Read.”

In October 2024, Burton began hosting a revival of Trivial Pursuit on The CW. A second season is expected in 2026. His memoir, Take My Word for It, was published by Random House in November 2026.

Career Stats

Burton’s career is unusually varied for a television actor. He has worked in drama, science fiction, children’s education, documentary, podcasting and game shows, and he has directed dozens of television episodes. Few performers have remained culturally relevant across five decades without chasing fame.

Personal Life

LeVar Burton married Stephanie Cozart, a professional makeup artist, on October 3, 1992. The couple has two children, including actress and producer Mica Burton. The family lives in Sherman Oaks, California.

Burton has spoken openly about his family history, including the discovery on Finding Your Roots that he has a white, Confederate great-great-grandfather. He has said the revelation complicated his sense of identity but also deepened his understanding of American history.

He does not identify with any organized religion. In a candid interview, he explained that he walked away from the seminary and Catholicism because he felt there was more for him to explore in the world without adhering to one specific belief system.

Dating History and Affairs

Burton has been married to Stephanie Cozart for more than 30 years, and there is no public record of any other serious relationship or scandal. The couple has kept their marriage private and rarely appears together at Hollywood events.

Controversies

Burton’s most significant legal controversy came in 2017, when the public broadcasting company WNED-TV sued him for alleged copyright infringement over his use of the Reading Rainbow brand in marketing the iPad app and other online media. The dispute centered on who controlled the rights to the beloved series.

The lawsuit cast a shadow over the brand’s revival, though Burton’s company continued operating under the LeVar Burton Kids name. The episode highlighted the complicated ownership of children’s television brands and the tension between public broadcasters and the creators who keep those brands alive.

In 2021, Burton became a fan favorite to replace Alex Trebek as the host of Jeopardy! after a highly praised guest-hosting stint. When the job went to Mike Richards instead, fans protested online, and Richards resigned amid controversy. Burton handled the situation with grace, saying he was grateful for the experience and did not want the campaign to become divisive.

His memoir also reopened conversations about mental health in Hollywood. Burton disclosed that he has bipolar II disorder and experienced a breakdown while working on Reading Rainbow. Some fans praised his honesty; others debated how much a children’s television host should reveal about his private struggles.

Awards & Achievements

Burton has won 12 Daytime Emmy Awards from 33 nominations, a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album and a Peabody Award as host and executive producer of Reading Rainbow. He has also won five NAACP Image Awards and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990.

His Grammy came for narrating The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr. at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. In 2023, LeVar Burton Reads won a Webby Award, and in 2016 he was one of the inaugural honorees on the Sacramento Walk of Stars.

• 12 Daytime Emmy Awards
• Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album
• Peabody Award for Reading Rainbow
• Five NAACP Image Awards
• Hollywood Walk of Fame star (1990)
• Webby Award for LeVar Burton Reads (2023)

Physical Statistics

Burton has not published official measurements, and public records do not list a verified height or weight. He is typically photographed in blazers, turtlenecks and glasses, a style that has become familiar to fans across his television career.

Quotes

It gave me an anchor and someplace to put my purpose.

LeVar Burton on Reading Rainbow, from his memoir Take My Word for It, 2026

Acting—storytelling—is sacred as well.

LeVar Burton, Complex interview, November 2026

Be a better person. Read.

LeVar Burton, Webby Awards acceptance speech, 2023

It expanded the consciousness of people. Blacks and whites began to see each other as human beings, not as stereotypes.

LeVar Burton on Roots, quoted by Wikipedia

Favorites

Burton has shared many of his favorites through his podcast, interviews and social media. Books and science fiction sit at the center of his personal canon, alongside family and a lifelong love of storytelling.

• Favorite Genre: Science fiction and speculative fiction
• Favorite Activity: Reading and recommending books
• Favorite Role: Kunta Kinte in Roots, which launched his career
• Favorite Franchise: Star Trek, where he played Geordi La Forge
• Favorite Food: Not publicly disclosed
• Favorite Music: Not publicly disclosed

Earnings

LeVar Burton’s exact net worth has not been disclosed. Estimates published by celebrity-finance sites vary, and none is confirmed by Burton or his representatives. His income comes from acting, directing, hosting, podcasting, book deals and his stake in the Reading Rainbow brand.

He has also earned money from speaking engagements and endorsements, though he is selective about the companies he works with. His Kickstarter campaign for Reading Rainbow raised more than $5 million, but those funds went to the project rather than to him personally.

Burton has said that money has never been his primary motivation. He has turned down projects that conflicted with his values and has prioritized educational work, even when it paid less than commercial television.

Interesting Facts

• Burton was born in West Germany while his father was stationed there with the U.S. Army.
• He entered a Catholic seminary at 14 and planned to become a priest.
• He was 19 when he starred in Roots.
• He hosted Reading Rainbow for 23 years.
• He directed episodes of four different Star Trek series.
• He raised more than $5 million on Kickstarter to revive Reading Rainbow.
• He won a Grammy for narrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s autobiography.

Did You Know Already?

• LeVar Burton is 69 years old as of November 2026.
• His full name is Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr.
• He has been married to Stephanie Cozart since 1992.
• He has two children, including actress Mica Burton.
• He was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder.
• His memoir, Take My Word for It, was published in November 2026.

Social Media Links

Burton is active on X and Instagram, where he shares book recommendations, podcast updates and occasional throwback photos. His accounts are verified, and he frequently engages with fans about reading and science fiction.

FAQ

Conclusion

LeVar Burton’s career is a rare example of fame used for something larger than itself. He could have built a conventional Hollywood résumé after Roots, but he chose children’s education, science fiction and a weekly invitation to read. In doing so, he became a trusted voice for millions of people who never met him.

His 2026 memoir adds a new layer to that story. Take My Word for It reveals the anxiety, family secrets and mental-health struggles behind the calm television presence, without diminishing what he built. At 69, Burton remains a working actor, host and advocate — still urging people to pick up a book.

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