S. Epatha Merkerson
Actor
- Born
- November 28, 1952 (age 73) · Saginaw, Michigan, USA
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.
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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.
Known for
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
July 3, 1991
Lincoln
November 9, 2012
Jacob's Ladder
November 2, 1990
Jersey Girl
March 25, 2004
Black Snake Moan
December 31, 2006
Radio
October 24, 2003
Random Hearts
October 8, 1999
She's Gotta Have It
August 8, 1986
Navy Seals
July 20, 1990
Mother and Child
November 7, 2009
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay
June 18, 2009
Loose Cannons
February 9, 1990
Acting43
- 2025Eye for an Eye as May
- 2024We Grown Now as Anita
- 2021Desmond's Not Here Anymore as Selma
- 2020Barbecue as Lillie Anne
- 2020The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America as Belize
- 2020Blood Sugar Rising as Narrator (voice)
- 2016You Can Go as Mrs. Bryant
- 2016Year by the Sea as Liz
- 2015The Challenger as Jada
- 2014Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee