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LeVar Burton is best known for his role in the global phenomenonStar Trek: The Next Generation. Sharing screen space with actors like Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner, Burton played the role of the chief engineer Geordie La Forge. The show was the beginning of a long-standing relationship with the franchise which has lasted decades.
While Burton starred in the spinoff show, he was reportedly a huge Trekkie and worshipped creator Gene Roddenberry for depicting a hopeful future. Hence, when he was selected to play the role, he had only one question before signing the contract which involved Roddenberry.
LeVar Burton’s One Condition To JoinStar Trek: The Next Generation
The spinoff showStar Trek: The Next Generationwas the most successful series of the franchise, despite already having a legacy of almost two decades preceding it. The show had many pop culture-defining characters, which included Patrick Stewart’s Captain Picard and Brent Spiner’s Data.
“That meant he didn’t belong there”: Star Trek Fans are Not Ready to Hear How The Next Generation Star LeVar Burton Was Harassed by Cops
ActorLeVar Burton, who is known for his role as Kunta Kinte inRootsand for the children’s TV showReading Rainbow, was cast as Georgie La Forge inTNG. The actor was reportedly a huge fan of the original series and practically worshipped creator Gene Roddenberry. After meeting a formerStar Trekproducer on a different set, Burton was promptly selected.
While Burton considered it an honor to finally be a part of his childhood dream, he still had one question before he signed the dotted line. He reportedly asked (viaEW),
Bob [Justman] and I had done a TV movie in the early ’80s. I was such a fan of Star Trek, we sat around on the set, and I just pumped him for stories about Shatner and Nimoy. So I got a call from Bob saying they were mounting a new Star Trek series and would I be interested. My only question was, Is Gene involved?
The actor would go on to direct multiple episodes ofTNG, Deep Space Nine, Voyager,and moreStar Trekshows.
LeVar Burton Revealed The Incredible Reason Why He Loved Gene Roddenberry’s Vision
Writer and showrunnerGene Roddenberryredefined pop culture when he createdStar Trek. Set in a distant future where intergalactic space travel is possible, the show saw a crew of the USS Enterprise going on multiple adventures around the universe and diplomatically solving multiple issues.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: The ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ Role Everyone Forgets LeVar Burton Played Opposite Kevin Conroy
Differing from usual sci-fi franchises which emphasize action and dystopia, Roddenberry’s vision for the future was more hopeful and inclusive. This is one of the reasons actor LeVarBurton reportedly fell in love with the series. He said toEd Surge,
Gene Roddenberry’s version of the future was different. Seeing Nichelle Nichols [the African American actress who played Lt. Uhura] on the bridge of the original Enterprise meant the world to me. As a storyteller, Roddenberry was saying: ‘When the future comes, there’s a place for you.’ It was a representation of the future that I could project myself into.
Burton also mentioned how he realized the importance of seeing oneself in popular media and the responsibility he had as a storyteller.
Star Trek: The Next Generationis available to stream on Paramount+.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
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LeVar BurtonStar Trek: The Next Generation
