Actor

S. Epatha Merkerson

Birthday: November 28, 1952

Born in: 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.

Movie Credits

Eye for an Eye (2025) as May
Age: 72
We Grown Now (2024) as Anita
Age: 71
Desmond's Not Here Anymore (2021) as Selma
Age: 68
Barbecue (2020) as Lillie Anne
Age: 68
The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America (2020) as Belize
Age: 67
Blood Sugar Rising (2020) as Narrator (voice)
Age: 67
You Can Go (2016) as Mrs. Bryant
Age: 63
Year by the Sea (2016) as Liz
Age: 63
The Challenger (2015) as Jada
Age: 62
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee (2014) as Self
Age: 61
The Gabby Douglas Story (2014) as Miss Caroline
Age: 61
Peeples (2013) as Daphne Peeples
Age: 60
Lincoln (2012) as Lydia Smith
Age: 59
We Heard the Bells: The Influenza of 1918 (2010) as Narrator (voice)
Age: 57
Mother and Child (2009) as Ada
Age: 56
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay (2009) as Effa
Age: 56
Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun (2008) as Narrator (voice)
Age: 55
Girl, Positive (2007) as Ariel Winters
Age: 54
Slipstream (2007) as Bonnie
Age: 54
Black Snake Moan (2006) as Angela
Age: 54
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays (2006) as Berniece (segment "The Piano Lesson")
Age: 53
Lackawanna Blues (2005) as Rachel 'Nanny' Crosby
Age: 52
Jersey Girl (2004) as Doctor #1
Age: 51
Radio (2003) as Maggie
Age: 50
The Rising Place (2001) as Lessie Watson
Age: 48
Random Hearts (1999) as Nea
Age: 46
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand (1999) as Eslanda Robeson (voice)
Age: 46
Exiled (1998) as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
Age: 45
An Unexpected Life (1998) as Beverly Hawkins
Age: 45
After the SIlence (1996) as Barbara
Age: 44
A Mother's Prayer (1995) as Ruby
Age: 42
A Place for Annie (1994) as Alice
Age: 41
It's Nothing Personal (1993) as Louise Waters
Age: 40
Second Chances (1992) as Ruth Clayton
Age: 39
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) as Tarissa Dyson
Age: 38
Jacob's Ladder (1990) as Elsa
Age: 37
Navy Seals (1990) as Jolena
Age: 37
Moe's World (1990)
Age: 37
Loose Cannons (1990) as Rachel
Age: 37
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (1988) as Reba
Age: 36
She's Gotta Have It (1986) as Doctor Jamison
Age: 33
Sexual Healing (Unknown) as Alberta Gay
Age: Unknown
After All (Unknown)
Age: Unknown