Levardis Robert Martyn Burton , Jr. ( born February 16 , 1957 ) , commonly known as LeVar Burton , is an American actor . Levardis Robert Martyn Burton , Jr. ( born February 16 , 1957 ) professionally known as LeVar Burton , is an American actor , director , producer and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots , based on the novel by Alex Haley .