<Tr> <Th> Children </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Parent (s) </Th> <Td> Richard Burton Sybil Christopher </Td> </Tr> <P> Katherine "Kate" Burton (born September 10, 1957) is a Swiss - born British actress, daughter of actor Richard Burton and Sybil Burton . On television, Burton received critical acclaim for performances in Shonda Rhimes's drama series as Ellis Grey on Grey's Anatomy, and as Vice President Sally Langston on Scandal . She has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards and three Tony Awards . </P> <P> Burton was born in Geneva, Switzerland, the daughter of producer Sybil Burton (née Williams; 1929--2013) and actor Richard Burton (1925--1984). She was thus the stepdaughter of Elizabeth Taylor and of Sybil's second husband Jordan Christopher, both actors . Burton earned a bachelor's degree in Russian Studies and European History from Brown University in 1979, where she was on the board of Production Workshop, one of the university's student theater groups, and a master's degree from Yale School of Drama in 1982 . Brown awarded Burton an honorary doctorate in 2007 . </P>

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