S. Epatha Merkerson
Born: 1952-11-28 in Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Known For: Acting
Biography
S. Epatha Merkerson (born Sharon Epatha Merkerson) is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has won a Golden Globe, Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, Obie Award, 4 NAACP Image Awards, and 2 Tony Award nominations. She is best known for her role as NYPD Lieutenant Anita Van Buren (1993–2010) on the long-running NBC police procedural drama series Law & Order, as well as the Law & Order TV movie Exiled. She appeared in 390 episodes of the series, more than any other cast member. She has a starring role as Sharon Goodwin on NBC's Chicago Med. She also had a recurring role as Reba (the mail carrier) on Pee-wee's Playhouse, and Ms. St. Marth on the TV series Here and Now. She has appeared in feature films including She's Gotta Have It, Loose Cannons, Jacob's Ladder, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Random Hearts, Radio, Black Snake Moan, Lincoln (2012), and Peeples. She has also appeared in TV movies including A Place for Annie, A Mother's Prayer, Breaking Through, Lackawanna Blues, and The Gabby Douglas Story.
Filmography
2025
- Eye for an Eye as May
2024
- We Grown Now as Anita
2023
- Poker Face as Joyce Carter
2021
- Desmond's Not Here Anymore as Selma
2020
- Barbecue as Lillie Anne
- Blood Sugar Rising as Narrator (voice)
- The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America as Belize
2016
- Year by the Sea as Liz
- You Can Go as Mrs. Bryant
2015
- Chicago Med as Sharon Goodwin
- The Challenger as Jada
2014
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- Chicago P.D. as Sharon Goodwin
- The Gabby Douglas Story as Miss Caroline
- Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee as Self
2013
- Peeples as Daphne Peeples
- The Contradictions of Fair Hope ... (Director)
2012
- Chicago Fire as Sharon Goodwin
- Finding Your Roots as Self
- Lincoln as Lydia Smith
2010
- We Heard the Bells: The Influenza of 1918 as Narrator (voice)
2009
- The Good Wife as Judge Melanie Ellis
- The Six Wives of Henry Lefay as Effa
- Mother and Child as Ada
2008
- Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun as Narrator (voice)
2007
- Slipstream as Bonnie
- Girl, Positive as Ariel Winters
2006
- Black Snake Moan as Angela
- Rachael Ray as Self
- The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays as Berniece (segment "The Piano Lesson")
2005
- The Closer as Dr. Rebecca Dioli
- Lackawanna Blues as Rachel 'Nanny' Crosby
- Law & Order: Trial by Jury as Anita Van Buren
2004
- Jersey Girl as Doctor #1
2003
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- Radio as Maggie
2001
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent as Anita Van Buren
- The Rising Place as Lessie Watson
1999
- Random Hearts as Nea
- Law and Order: Justice as Anita Van Buren
- Paul Robeson: Here I Stand as Eslanda Robeson (voice)
1998
- An Unexpected Life as Beverly Hawkins
- Exiled as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
1997
- The View as Self
1996
- Breaking Through as Barbara
1995
- A Mother's Prayer as Ruby
1994
- A Place for Annie as Alice
1993
- Frasier as Dr. McCaskill
- It's Nothing Personal as Louise Waters
1992
- Second Chances as Ruth Clayton
- Mann & Machine as Capt. Margaret Claghorn
- Here and Now as Claudia St. Marth
1991
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day as Tarissa Dyson
1990
- Law & Order as Anita Van Buren
- Navy Seals as Jolena
- Loose Cannons as Rachel
- Jacob's Ladder as Elsa
- Moe's World
1988
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest
- Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special as Reba
1986
- Pee-wee's Playhouse as Reba
- She's Gotta Have It as Doctor Jamison
1984
- The Cosby Show as Elena
1956
- Tony Awards as Self - Nominee
1952
- Today as Self
1949
- The Emmy Awards as Self