LeVar Burton Has Built a Solid Net Worth Through His Many Memorable TV Roles

I'm not going to lie if I decide to sing "Butterfly in the Sky randomly," and someone doesn't sing back, "I can go twice as high," I'm questioning everything about that person. I said what I said.

The medley to the theme song of the '90s (and beyond, if you're raising your kids right, JK!) is classic. Reading Rainbow is etched in many of our core memories. And it's mainly in part to the man at the center of it all: Levar Burton.

Levar, who hosted Reading Rainbow throughout, was introduced to a specific generation. However, the California native has shared his range with the entertainment industry for over 40 years.

In 2024, Levar further proved his stamp on the culture with a new role as the host of Trivial Pursuit. The role, like many of his other projects, has contributed to his impressive net worth.

Levar's net worth is $6 million, which he has mostly earned from being on camera. In 1977, he made his acting debut as Kunta Kinte on the popular ABC drama series Roots. The role was his first audition in Hollywood and would go on to be one of the miniseries' most memorable characters. After Roots, he appeared in the crime drama Looking for Mr. Goodbar alongside Diane Keaton and Richard Gere. After a few more projects in the '70s, Levar's career catapulted in the 1980s.

In 1983, he landed a job as the host of the aforementioned PBS' children's show, Reading Rainbow. The show, which ran for 23 seasons, earned Burton a plethora of accolades, including 24 Daytime Emmy Award nominations and 12 wins. Levar also earned an NAACP Image Award and an Peabody Award for his time on the show.

After his third year on Reading Rainbow, he booked another one of his most memorable roles as Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In addition to his acting achievements, which also include roles on JAG and Mister Roger's Neighborhood, he has directed multiple TV episodes of Miracle's Boys, Las Vegas, and NCIS: New Orleans.

And, if you thought the man who helped a generation learn new books doesn't have a few of his own, you're sorely mistaken. He has written several books, including Aftermath (1997), Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm (2014), and A Kid's Book About Imagination (2021). Levar also shared his love for books on his podcast, Levar Burton Reads, before ending the podcast in May 2024.

Levar's lengthy career in the spotlight fortunately hasn't affected his personal life. In 1992, he married his wife, Stephanie Cozart Burton. Stephanie and LeVar reportedly met on the set of Roots in 1988 and married four years later. The couple then welcomed their daughter, Mica, and have remained together. According to Stephanie's Instagram account, she's a makeup artist. As of this writing, they've been together over 30 years.

"29 years ago today @scozartburton and I jumped the broom," LeVar wrote while celebrating the couple's anniversary in 2021. "Spoiler alert: They lived happily ever after…"

A legend and a wonderful husband. We stan!