Eian Burton is an American special education teacher and basketball coach best known as the eldest son of actor and television host LeVar Burton. He was born in 1980 to LeVar Burton and Chimara P. Smith. Unlike his father and younger half-sister, Mica Burton, Eian has pursued a career outside the entertainment industry.
Eian reportedly studied education at Foothill College and worked at Monroe Middle School in California. He has also been associated with the Santa Clara County Office of Education. His childhood received media attention after LeVar learned about him in 1983 and sought joint custody.
Quick Facts About Eian Burton
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Eian Burton |
| Other reported names | Eian Burton Smith, Eian Ward Burton |
| Birth year | 1980 |
| Age | Approximately 45–46 years old in 2026 |
| Reported birthplace | Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Father | LeVar Burton |
| Mother | Chimara P. Smith |
| Half-sister | Mica Burton |
| Stepmother | Stephanie Cozart Burton |
| Education | Los Altos High School, Foothill College |
| Reported profession | Special education teacher and basketball coach |
| Reported residence | Campbell, California |
| Marital status | Not currently confirmed |
| Children | Not publicly confirmed |
| Net worth | Not publicly known |
Eian Burton’s Age and Early Life
Eian Burton was reportedly born in 1980 in Los Angeles, California, United States. His exact birthday has not been publicly confirmed.
Based on his reported birth year, he is approximately 45 or 46 years old as of September 2026.
Eian is the son of actor LeVar Burton and Chimara P. Smith. His parents were not married, and his mother raised him during the first three years of his life.
According to published reports, LeVar did not initially know that he had a son. He learned about Eian in 1983, when Eian was approximately three years old.
Paternity testing subsequently confirmed that LeVar was his biological father.
Who Is Eian Burton’s Father, LeVar Burton?
LeVar Burton is an American actor, director, and television host. His full name is Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr.
He became famous for playing Kunta Kinte in the 1977 television miniseries Roots. He was approximately 19 years old when he was cast in the role.
LeVar later portrayed Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
He is also known for hosting the educational television series Reading Rainbow for more than two decades.
His other television work includes hosting Trivial Pursuit on The CW.
LeVar has two publicly known children: Eian Burton and his younger daughter, Mica Burton.
Who Is Eian Burton’s Mother?
Eian Burton’s biological mother is Chimara P. Smith.
According to published reports, Chimara and LeVar had a brief relationship around the time Eian was conceived.
Chimara raised Eian during his first three years. LeVar reportedly learned about his son after being contacted by the district attorney.
There is limited reliable public information about Chimara’s education, profession, and current activities.
How LeVar Burton Learned About Eian
In 1983, LeVar Burton learned that he had a son.
According to a September 2023 AmoMama article, paternity testing confirmed that Eian was his biological child.
LeVar subsequently asked the Los Angeles Superior Court for joint legal custody and visitation rights.
He also reportedly agreed to pay $600 per month in child support.
LeVar explained that he had grown up in a single-parent household and wanted his son to have both parents involved in his life.
The available reports establish that LeVar sought joint custody. However, they do not provide complete details of the court’s final decision.
The Custody Dispute Between Eian’s Parents
In 1984, a disagreement between Eian’s parents received media attention.
According to AmoMama, Chimara alleged that LeVar had taken their son without returning him as expected.
Eian was reportedly supposed to spend two weeks on vacation with his father before returning to his mother’s care in Chicago.
Chimara said she had not heard from them and believed LeVar might have taken Eian to Africa.
However, LeVar’s agent, Dolores Robinson, disputed the allegation.
Robinson stated that Eian was safe and staying with his grandmother in Sacramento, California. She explained that LeVar had traveled to Africa separately for promotional work.
The supplied reports do not establish that LeVar committed kidnapping or provide a final legal ruling supporting the allegation.
Eian Burton’s Education
Eian reportedly attended Los Altos High School in California.
According to published biographies, he later studied education at Foothill College.
Articles citing his social media profiles mentioned his educational background.
However, his graduation dates, exact qualifications, and additional academic achievements have not been publicly confirmed.
Eian Burton’s Career
Unlike his father, Eian pursued a career in education rather than entertainment.
According to published reports, he has worked as a special education teacher, community-based instructor, activities coordinator, and basketball coach.
Most of the available employment information comes from articles published in 2023. His current professional position has not been independently confirmed.
Special Education Teacher
Eian reportedly worked in special education at Monroe Middle School in San Jose, California.
His work involved supporting students who required additional educational assistance.
However, the available sources do not establish his exact teaching responsibilities or how long he worked at the school.
Santa Clara County Office of Education
According to AmoMama, Eian also worked as a community-based instructor at the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
This information was reportedly listed on his Facebook profile.
His employment dates and current association with the organization have not been confirmed.
Basketball Coach
Eian has also reportedly worked as a basketball coach.
Briefly News describes him as a children’s sports coach and former activities coordinator.
However, the available articles do not identify the teams he coached, his coaching achievements, or whether he continues coaching.
Eian Burton’s Half-Sister, Mica Burton
Mica Burton is Eian’s younger half-sister. They share the same father, LeVar Burton.
Mica was born on July 8, 1994, to LeVar and his wife, Stephanie Cozart Burton.
Unlike Eian, she followed their father into the entertainment industry.
Mica studied acting at the University of Michigan, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
She later pursued acting and appeared in several entertainment projects.
In 2023, Mica appeared alongside LeVar in Star Trek: Picard.
During an interview with People, she discussed the experience of working with her father on the series.
Mica and LeVar also attended Universal Fan Fest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood in April 2025.
Although Eian and Mica are siblings, there is limited public information about their personal relationship.
Eian Burton’s Stepmother, Stephanie Cozart Burton
Stephanie Cozart Burton is Eian’s stepmother and LeVar Burton’s wife.
She is a professional makeup artist who has worked on several television productions.
Stephanie grew up in Indiana and studied sociology at Indiana University Bloomington. She later attended Joe Blasco Make-Up School.
Her professional credits include Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The Facts of Life, and The Talk.
She received a Daytime Emmy Award in 2013 for her makeup work on The Talk.
Before entering the makeup industry, she reportedly worked at Playboy clubs in Los Angeles and Century City between 1981 and 1989.
Stephanie met LeVar in 1988 while he was working on Roots: The Gift.
They married on October 3, 1992, and welcomed their daughter, Mica, in July 1994.
Is Eian Burton Married?
Eian’s marital status has not been recently confirmed.
Articles published in 2023 described him as single, based on information from his reported social media profiles.
However, those reports do not establish his current relationship status.
There is no reliable public information identifying a wife or current partner.
Does Eian Burton Have Children?
There is no publicly confirmed information about Eian Burton having children.
The available sources do not identify any sons or daughters.
Eian Burton’s Net Worth
Eian Burton’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
Although he has reportedly worked in education and sports coaching, his income and financial assets have not been publicly documented.
His father’s entertainment earnings should not be confused with his personal wealth.
Eian Burton’s Social Media
Published biographies have identified social media profiles associated with Eian.
His reported Instagram username is @eianwardburton, while his Facebook profile has been listed under the name Eian Ward Burton.
In February 2023, Briefly News reported that his Instagram account had approximately 150 followers and his Facebook profile had around 1,700 friends.
These figures are historical and may have changed.
The current status of these accounts has not been independently confirmed.
Where Is Eian Burton Now?
Eian has maintained a relatively limited public profile.
According to articles published in 2023, he was living in Campbell, California, and working in education in the San Jose area.
His reported professional activities included special education and basketball coaching.
An April 2026 HELLO! article mentioned Eian as LeVar Burton’s son but did not provide new details about his employment or residence.
His current location, professional position, and personal activities remain unconfirmed.
Facts About Eian Burton
- He is the eldest publicly known child of actor LeVar Burton.
- His mother is Chimara P. Smith.
- He was reportedly born in Los Angeles in 1980.
- His exact birthday has not been publicly confirmed.
- LeVar learned about him in 1983, according to published reports.
- Paternity testing reportedly confirmed their biological relationship.
- LeVar sought joint custody and visitation rights.
- Eian reportedly attended Los Altos High School.
- He studied education at Foothill College, according to published accounts.
- He has reportedly worked as a special education teacher.
- His reported workplaces include Monroe Middle School and the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
- He has also worked as a basketball coach.
- His younger half-sister is actress Mica Burton.
- His stepmother is makeup artist Stephanie Cozart Burton.
- His current marital status, employment, residence, and personal net worth have not been reliably confirmed.
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