S. Epatha Merkerson
Known for: Acting
Born: November 28, 1952
Place of birth: 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. 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.
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Filmography
44 movies · 23 TV shows, newest first
5.9
Eye for an Eye
2025
6.4
We Grown Now
2024
7.4
Poker Face
2023
NR
Desmond's Not Here Anymore
2021
NR
Barbecue
2020
10.0
The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America
2020
NR
Blood Sugar Rising
2020
5.0
You Can Go
2016
8.0
Year by the Sea
2016
8.3
Chicago Med
2015
5.9
The Challenger
2015
1.5
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
2014
5.8
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
7.4
The Gabby Douglas Story
2014
8.4
Chicago P.D.
2014
5.5
Peeples
2013
5.0
The Contradictions of Fair Hope
2013
6.8
Lincoln
2012
8.4
Chicago Fire
2012
6.5
Finding Your Roots
2012
6.5
We Heard the Bells: The Influenza of 1918
2010
6.6
Mother and Child
2009
7.6
The Good Wife
2009
5.3
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay
2009
8.0
Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun
2008
6.1
Girl, Positive
2007
4.9
Slipstream
2007
6.8
Black Snake Moan
2006
5.1
Rachael Ray
2006
NR
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays
2006
7.8
The Closer
2005
8.1
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
2005
5.9
Lackawanna Blues
2005
6.2
Jersey Girl
2004
7.3
Radio
2003
5.6
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
7.6
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
6.7
The Rising Place
2001
5.6
Random Hearts
1999
8.0
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
1999
5.9
Exiled
1998
4.9
An Unexpected Life
1998
4.3
The View
1997
7.2
After the SIlence
1996
8.6
A Mother's Prayer
1995
6.1
A Place for Annie
1994
7.7
Frasier
1993
7.0
It's Nothing Personal
1993
6.7
Here and Now
1992
7.2
Mann & Machine
1992NR
Second Chances
1992
8.2
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
1991
7.4
Jacob's Ladder
1990
7.3
Law & Order
1990
5.4
Navy Seals
1990
9.0
Moe's World
1990
5.0
Loose Cannons
1990
7.2
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
1988
5.6
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
7.2
Pee-wee's Playhouse
1986
6.6
She's Gotta Have It
1986
7.0
The Cosby Show
1984
NR
Tony Awards
1956
5.6
Today
1952
7.9
The Emmy Awards
1949NR
Sexual Healing
—NR
After All
—