S. Epatha Merkerson
Known for Acting · 66 credits
- Born
- 1952-11-28 (age 73)
- Place of birth
- Saginaw, Michigan, USA
- Also known as
- 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, 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
TV Shows (23)
Law & Order
1990
as Anita Van Buren / Denise Winters
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self
Chicago Fire
2012
as Sharon Goodwin
Chicago Med
2015
as Sharon Goodwin
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
as Anita Van Buren
Chicago P.D.
2014
as Sharon Goodwin
The Good Wife
2009
as Judge Melanie Ellis
Frasier
1993
as Dr. McCaskill
The Closer
2005
as Dr. Rebecca Dioli
The View
1997
as Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self - Guest
The Cosby Show
1984
as Elena
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Nominee
Poker Face
2023
as Joyce Carter
Finding Your Roots
2012
as Self
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
2005
as Anita Van Buren
Today
1952
as Self
Rachael Ray
2006
as Self
Pee-wee's Playhouse
1986
as Reba
The Emmy Awards
1949
as Self
Mann & Machine
1992
as Capt. Margaret Claghorn
Here and Now
1992
as Claudia St. Marth
Movies (43)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
1991
as Tarissa Dyson
Lincoln
2012
as Lydia Smith
Jacob's Ladder
1990
as Elsa
Radio
2003
as Maggie
Eye for an Eye
2025
as May
Black Snake Moan
2006
as Angela
Navy Seals
1990
as Jolena
Random Hearts
1999
as Nea
Jersey Girl
2004
as Doctor #1
Slipstream
2007
as Bonnie
Mother and Child
2009
as Ada
Lackawanna Blues
2005
as Rachel 'Nanny' Crosby
Loose Cannons
1990
as Rachel
Exiled
1998
as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
She's Gotta Have It
1986
as Doctor Jamison
We Grown Now
2024
as Anita
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays
2006
as Berniece (segment "The Piano Lesson")
Barbecue
2020
as Lillie Anne
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay
2009
as Effa
Peeples
2013
as Daphne Peeples
The Challenger
2015
as Jada
Sexual Healing
as Alberta Gay
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
2014
as Self
A Place for Annie
1994
as Alice
The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America
2020
as Belize
After the SIlence
1996
as Barbara
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
1988
as Reba
Moe's World
1990
The Gabby Douglas Story
2014
as Miss Caroline
An Unexpected Life
1998
as Beverly Hawkins
A Mother's Prayer
1995
as Ruby
Second Chances
1992
as Ruth Clayton
Year by the Sea
2016
as Liz
It's Nothing Personal
1993
as Louise Waters
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
1999
as Eslanda Robeson (voice)
After All
Girl, Positive
2007
as Ariel Winters
The Rising Place
2001
as Lessie Watson
Desmond's Not Here Anymore
2021
as Selma
You Can Go
2016
as Mrs. Bryant
We Heard the Bells: The Influenza of 1918
2010
as Narrator (voice)
Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun
2008
as Narrator (voice)
Blood Sugar Rising
2020
as Narrator (voice)
About 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… With 66 credits spanning from 1949 to 2025, S. Epatha Merkerson has appeared in 43 films and 23 TV shows.
Fans searching for S. Epatha Merkerson movies, S. Epatha Merkerson filmography, or the latest projects starring S. Epatha Merkerson can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular S. Epatha Merkerson Movies
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) — as Tarissa Dyson
- Lincoln (2012) — as Lydia Smith
- Jacob's Ladder (1990) — as Elsa
- Radio (2003) — as Maggie
- Eye for an Eye (2025) — as May
Where to Watch S. Epatha Merkerson Films
Most S. Epatha Merkerson movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring S. Epatha Merkerson, check our movies catalogue and browse page.