S. Epatha Merkerson
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · We Grown Now as Anita
- 2023 · Poker Face as Joyce Carter
- 2020 · Barbecue as Lillie Anne
- 2020 · The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America as Belize
- 2020 · Blood Sugar Rising as Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · You Can Go as Mrs. Bryant
- 2016 · Year by the Sea as Liz
- 2015 · Chicago Med as Sharon Goodwin
- 2015 · The Challenger as Jada
- 2014 · Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee as Self
- 2014 · The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- 2014 · The Gabby Douglas Story as Miss Caroline
- 2014 · Chicago P.D. as Sharon Goodwin
- 2013 · Peeples as Daphne Peeples
- 2012 · Lincoln as Lydia Smith
- 2012 · Chicago Fire as Sharon Goodwin
- 2012 · Finding Your Roots as Self
- 2010 · We Heard the Bells: The Influenza of 1918 as Narrator (voice)
- 2009 · Mother and Child as Ada
- 2009 · The Good Wife as Judge Melanie Ellis
- 2009 · The Six Wives of Henry Lefay as Effa
- 2008 · Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun as Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · Girl, Positive as Ariel Winters
- 2007 · Slipstream as Bonnie
- 2006 · Black Snake Moan as Angela
- 2006 · Rachael Ray as Self
- 2006 · The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays as Berniece (segment "The Piano Lesson")
- 2005 · The Closer as Dr. Rebecca Dioli
- 2005 · Law & Order: Trial by Jury as Anita Van Buren
- 2005 · Lackawanna Blues as Rachel 'Nanny' Crosby
- 2004 · Jersey Girl as Doctor #1
- 2003 · Radio as Maggie
- 2003 · The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- 2001 · Law & Order: Criminal Intent as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
- 2001 · The Rising Place as Lessie Watson
- 1999 · Random Hearts as Nea
- 1999 · Paul Robeson: Here I Stand as Eslanda Robeson (voice)
- 1998 · Exiled as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
- 1998 · An Unexpected Life as Beverly Hawkins
- 1997 · The View as Self
- 1996 · After the Silence as Barbara
- 1995 · A Mother's Prayer as Ruby
- 1994 · A Place for Annie as Alice
- 1993 · Frasier as Dr. McCaskill
- 1993 · It's Nothing Personal as Louise Waters
- 1992 · Here and Now as Claudia St. Marth
- 1992 · Mann & Machine as Capt. Margaret Claghorn
- 1991 · Terminator 2: Judgment Day as Tarissa Dyson
- 1990 · Jacob's Ladder as Elsa
- 1990 · Law & Order as Denise Winters
- 1990 · Law & Order as Anita Van Buren
- 1990 · Navy Seals as Jolena
- 1990 · Moe's World as
- 1990 · Loose Cannons as Rachel
- 1988 · Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special as Reba
- 1988 · LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Herself
- 1986 · Pee-wee's Playhouse as Reba
- 1986 · She's Gotta Have It as Doctor Jamison
- 1984 · The Cosby Show as Elena
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Nominee
- 1952 · Today as Self
- Future · Eye for an Eye as
- Future · Sexual Healing as Alberta Gay
- Future · After All as
- Future · Desmond's Not Here Anymore as Selma