S. Epatha Merkerson

Personal Info

Know For

Acting

Gender

Female

Birthday

1952-11-28 (73 years old)

Place of Birth

Saginaw, Michigan, USA

S. Epatha Merkerson

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,...

Acting

1991

1990

2004

Jersey Girl

as Doctor #1

2006

1990

Loose Cannons

as Rachel

1999

1986

She's Gotta Have It

as Doctor Jamison

2003

Radio

as Maggie

2007

Slipstream

as Bonnie

2013

Peeples

as Daphne Peeples

1994

2005

Lackawanna Blues

as Rachel 'Nanny' Crosby

2024

We Grown Now

as Anita

2007

Girl, Positive

as Ariel Winters

1993

It's Nothing Personal

as Louise Waters

2014

The Gabby Douglas Story

as Miss Caroline

2025

1998

An Unexpected Life

as Beverly Hawkins

2012

Lincoln

as Lydia Smith

2015

1998

Exiled

as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren

-

Sexual Healing

as Alberta Gay

1996

2016

2016

You Can Go

as Mrs. Bryant

2006

The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays

as Berniece (segment "The Piano Lesson")

2001

The Rising Place

as Lessie Watson

2020

Blood Sugar Rising

as Narrator (voice)

1990

Navy Seals

as Jolena

2020

Barbecue

as Lillie Anne

1999

Paul Robeson: Here I Stand

as Eslanda Robeson (voice)

1992

Second Chances

as Ruth Clayton

Production

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