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LeVar Burton AKA Kunta Kinte of ‘Roots’ Is Not Only a Dad of 2 but Also Proud Grandpa - Meet His Gorgeous Granddaughter

Joe Akins
Sep 17, 2021
11:30 A.M.

Famous actor LeVar Burton is known for his role as Kunta Kinte in "Roots." He is a proud father of two, but his kids are not the only ones dear to him. He also has a granddaughter who he adores.

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For over three decades, LeVar Burton has graced the screen and featured in some of the top movies of the last two decades. At 64, the actor is a fulfilled man with a large fan base echoing his name.

While he has had an incredible career, Burton's passion and loyalty lie away from the screen and belong to his family, which includes his wife of many years, two children, and his beloved granddaughter.

LeVar Burton standing in chains in the TV series Roots circa 1977 | Photo: Getty Images

LeVar Burton standing in chains in the TV series Roots circa 1977 | Photo: Getty Images

WHO IS LEVAR BURTON?

Burton is an actor, producer, and writer. He is best known for his role as Geordi La Forge in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" which he played for the entire duration of the show.

Born in 1957 in present-day Germany, Burton's upbringing made him the man he is today. His father, Levardis Robert Martyn Burton, was a photographer in the United States Army Signal Corps, while his mom Erma Gene Christian, worked as an educator and social worker.

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Portrait of actor, producer and director LeVar Burton circa 2009 | Photo: Tweigel59, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Portrait of actor, producer and director LeVar Burton circa 2009 | Photo: Tweigel59, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

HE WANTED TO BE A PRIEST

Burton's career would never have seen the light of day if he had gone on with plans to become a priest. The actor once revealed that while he was a teenager, he had plans to become a priest, but after questioning his faith, he decided to become an actor.

When quizzed on why he chose acting, Burton explained that he found going on stage to be his strength. In addition, he realized he had an interest in public speaking, and acting feels natural for him.

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HIS CAREER

As a 19-year-old undergraduate at the University of Southern California's School of Theater, Burton got the call of his life when he was chosen to play the key role of Kunta Kinte in "Roots."

This record-shattering mini-series was one of the most celebrated and highest-rated shows in American television history. It received 37 Emmy Award nominations, of which it won nine and earned Burton an Emmy nomination for his role.

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Being on the set of "Roots" as a teenager shaped the young actor for greater things. He shared the set with great stars like Cicely Tyson, who played his mom, and Maya Angelou played his grandmother.

The actor later confirmed that both stars embraced him like a peer and taught him what it means to be a professional. It was from "Roots" that Burton showed the world that he was ready for bigger roles.

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Burton's career experienced new heights after the series ended. In 1983, he got work as host of "Reading Rainbow," an educational program for the Public Broadcasting Service to inspire kids to embrace a reading culture.

His time as host and executive producer of this show proved valuable for his career as he bagged a total of ten Daytime Emmy nominations, winning six. In addition, Burton went on to earn seven Image Award nominations, of which he won four.

Afterward, Burton would go on to arguably the biggest role of his life when he was cast as Geordi La Forge for "Star Trek: The Next Generation" TV series.

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Over the years, Burton switched his attention to more directorial roles and has since directed several high-ranking movies and projects, but the best part of his life has been his family.

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A DOTING DAD

Burton has been married to his wife Stephanie Cozart since October 3, 1992, and together, the couple has built a close-knit family and enjoyed the many wins from his career together.

His wife, Cozart works as a makeup artist in the movie industry and has both been nominated for several awards, of which she impressively won some, but the best of her successes has been with her husband.

The couple shares a daughter, Michaela "Mica" Jean, in addition to Burton's son Eian Burton Smith from his relationship with his ex Chimara P. Smith.

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Burton made headlines after asking a court to declare him the father of his son. He claimed he had no idea he had fathered a child and did not want his son to grow as he did; in a broken home.

The famous actor is glad to have his little ones surround him and bring fun to his life. Burton shares a sweet bond with his daughter, Mica, who is a YouTuber, gamer, eSports announcer, actor, and model.

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A LOVELY GRANDPA

Asides from being a father of two, Burton is also a proud grandfather. The legendary actor seems to be a big part of his granddaughter's life and once shared a post where he celebrated her graduation from high school, stating how proud he was of her.

His granddaughter, Sierra, is the child of his son Eian and seems to be the family's favorite. Eian loves to flaunt her on his social media, and from his posts, there seems to be a deep bond in Burton's family.

Sierra is also an active social media user. Her Instagram page is filled with pictures that give fans a glimpse of her life. In one post, she announced she was getting a tattoo, and her fans could not help but cheer her on. She has over a thousand Instagram followers.

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BURTON IS STILL ACTIVE

Burton, a grandfather, continues to be more active in the entertainment industry; he is proud to see his family and kids doing what they love with his support.

The actor remains loved by his fans, who craved to see him as the new "Jeopardy!" host replacing Alex Trebek, who died from cancer last year. However, fans took to Twitter to express their disappointment that he was not given the permanent gig.

Burton has not hidden his desire to take on the role permanently and would be pleased to get the call to take over the reins permanently. However, if that does not happen, he remains a legend in the game.

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