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S. Epatha Merkerson

Acting 73 years old Saginaw, Michigan, USA ★ 1.2
Born: November 28, 1952

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.

External Links

🎬 IMDb 📷 Instagram 🐦 Twitter

Known For

Law & Order
Law & Order Anita Van Buren 1990
Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire Sharon Goodwin 2012
Chicago P.D.
Chicago P.D. Sharon Goodwin 2014
Chicago Med
Chicago Med Sharon Goodwin 2015
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
LIVE with Kelly and Mark Self - Guest 1988

Jimmy's Seen (1)

Die Hard
Die Hard Self 1988

Filmography

Acting Credits (66)

Eye for an Eye
Eye for an Eye May 2025
We Grown Now
We Grown Now Anita 2024
Poker Face
Poker Face Joyce Carter 2023
Desmond's Not Here Anymore
Desmond's Not Here Anymore Selma 2021
Barbecue
Barbecue Lillie Anne 2020
The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America
The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America Belize 2020
Blood Sugar Rising
Blood Sugar Rising Narrator (voice) 2020
You Can Go
You Can Go Mrs. Bryant 2016
Year by the Sea
Year by the Sea Liz 2016
Chicago Med
Chicago Med Sharon Goodwin 2015
The Challenger
The Challenger Jada 2015
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee Self 2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Self 2014
The Gabby Douglas Story
The Gabby Douglas Story Miss Caroline 2014
Chicago P.D.
Chicago P.D. Sharon Goodwin 2014
Peeples
Peeples Daphne Peeples 2013
Lincoln
Lincoln Lydia Smith 2012
Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire Sharon Goodwin 2012
Finding Your Roots
Finding Your Roots Self 2012
We Heard the Bells: The Influenza of 1918
We Heard the Bells: The Influenza of 1918 Narrator (voice) 2010
Mother and Child
Mother and Child Ada 2009
The Good Wife
The Good Wife Judge Melanie Ellis 2009
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay Effa 2009
Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun
Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun Narrator (voice) 2008
Girl, Positive
Girl, Positive Ariel Winters 2007
Slipstream
Slipstream Bonnie 2007
Black Snake Moan
Black Snake Moan Angela 2006
Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray Self 2006
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays Berniece (segment "The Piano Lesson") 2006
The Closer
The Closer Dr. Rebecca Dioli 2005
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Law & Order: Trial by Jury Anita Van Buren 2005
Lackawanna Blues
Lackawanna Blues Rachel 'Nanny' Crosby 2005
Jersey Girl
Jersey Girl Doctor #1 2004
Radio
Radio Maggie 2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show Self 2003
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Anita Van Buren 2001
The Rising Place
The Rising Place Lessie Watson 2001
Random Hearts
Random Hearts Nea 1999
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand Eslanda Robeson (voice) 1999
Exiled
Exiled Lieutenant Anita Van Buren 1998
An Unexpected Life
An Unexpected Life Beverly Hawkins 1998
The View
The View Self 1997
After the SIlence
After the SIlence Barbara 1996
A Mother's Prayer
A Mother's Prayer Ruby 1995
A Place for Annie
A Place for Annie Alice 1994
Frasier
Frasier Dr. McCaskill 1993
It's Nothing Personal
It's Nothing Personal Louise Waters 1993
Here and Now
Here and Now Claudia St. Marth 1992
Mann & Machine
Mann & Machine Capt. Margaret Claghorn 1992
Second Chances
Second Chances Ruth Clayton 1992
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day Tarissa Dyson 1991
Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder Elsa 1990
Law & Order
Law & Order Denise Winters 1990
Law & Order
Law & Order Anita Van Buren 1990
Navy Seals
Navy Seals Jolena 1990
Moe's World
Moe's World 1990
Loose Cannons
Loose Cannons Rachel 1990
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special Reba 1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
LIVE with Kelly and Mark Self - Guest 1988
Pee-wee's Playhouse
Pee-wee's Playhouse Reba 1986
She's Gotta Have It
She's Gotta Have It Doctor Jamison 1986
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show Elena 1984
Today
Today Self 1952
The Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards Self 1949
Sexual Healing
Sexual Healing Alberta Gay
After All
After All

Directing Credits (1)

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