Acting credits
62
Established
Large and steady acting portfolio.
Actor
S. Epatha Merkerson
Acting
Career Snapshot
ExplainedThese indicators come from TMDB. They are relative signals, not review ratings.
TMDB popularity
2.3
Moderate attention
TMDB internal trend index. Higher usually means more searches and page activity now.
Movies: 41Series: 22Crew credits: 1
TMDB ID: 3978
IMDb ID: nm0580924
Known for: Acting
Born: November 28, 1952
Age: 73
Place of birth: Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Gender: Female
Adult content flag: No
Career span: 1949 - 2025
Years active: 77
Average TMDB rating: 6.56
Wikidata: Q1198897
Also known as
Epatha Merkerson
Other jobs
Director (1)
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.
Photos
Movies
Movies
Movie credits linked with S. Epatha Merkerson.
5.4
Eye for an Eye
as May
2025 Movie
6.7
We Grown Now
as Anita
2024 Movie
Desmond's Not Here Anymore
as Selma
2021 Movie
Barbecue
as Lillie Anne
2020 Movie
10.0
The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America
as Belize
2020 Movie
Blood Sugar Rising
as Narrator (voice)
2020 Movie
5.0
You Can Go
as Mrs. Bryant
2016 Movie
8.0
Year by the Sea
as Liz
2016 Movie
5.9
The Challenger
as Jada
2015 Movie
1.5
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
as Self
2014 Movie
7.3
The Gabby Douglas Story
as Miss Caroline
2014 Movie
5.6
Peeples
as Daphne Peeples
2013 Movie
5.0
The Contradictions of Fair Hope
Director
2013 Movie
6.9
Lincoln
as Lydia Smith
2012 Movie
6.5
We Heard the Bells: The Influenza of 1918
as Narrator (voice)
2010 Movie
6.6
Mother and Child
as Ada
2009 Movie
5.2
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay
as Effa
2009 Movie
8.0
Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun
as Narrator (voice)
2008 Movie
6.1
Girl, Positive
as Ariel Winters
2007 Movie
4.9
Slipstream
as Bonnie
2007 Movie
6.9
Black Snake Moan
as Angela
2006 Movie
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays
as Berniece (segment "The Piano Lesson")
2006 Movie
5.7
Lackawanna Blues
as Rachel 'Nanny' Crosby
2005 Movie
6.2
Jersey Girl
as Doctor #1
2004 Movie
Series
Series
Series credits linked with S. Epatha Merkerson.
7.5
Poker Face
as Joyce Carter • 1 eps
2023 Series
8.3
Chicago Med
as Sharon Goodwin • 211 eps
2015 Series
5.9
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
as Self • 1 eps
2014 Series
8.4
Chicago P.D.
as Sharon Goodwin • 6 eps
2014 Series
8.4
Chicago Fire
as Sharon Goodwin • 8 eps
2012 Series
6.2
Finding Your Roots
as Self • 2 eps
2012 Series
7.6
The Good Wife
as Judge Melanie Ellis • 1 eps
2009 Series
5.1
Rachael Ray
as Self • 1 eps
2006 Series
7.9
The Closer
as Dr. Rebecca Dioli • 3 eps
2005 Series
8.1
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
as Anita Van Buren • 1 eps
2005 Series
5.6
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
as Self • 1 eps
2003 Series
7.6
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
as Anita Van Buren • 1 eps
2001 Series
4.3
The View
as Self • 1 eps
1997 Series
7.7
Frasier
as Dr. McCaskill • 1 eps
1993 Series
6.0
Here and Now
as Claudia St. Marth • 15 eps
1992 Series
7.0
Mann & Machine
as Capt. Margaret Claghorn • 9 eps
1992 Series
7.3
Law & Order
as Anita Van Buren • 390 eps
1990 Series
5.4
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
as Self - Guest • 1 eps
1988 Series
7.1
Pee-wee's Playhouse
as Reba • 45 eps
1986 Series
7.0
The Cosby Show
as Elena • 1 eps
1984 Series
5.6
Today
as Self • 1 eps
1952 Series
7.9
The Emmy Awards
as Self • 1 eps
1949 Series