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S. Epatha Merkerson

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S. Epatha Merkerson
Merkerson in 2017
Born
Sharon Epatha Merkerson[1][2][3]

(1952-11-28) November 28, 1952 (age 71)
Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
EducationWayne State University (BFA), New York University (MFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1976–present

S. Epatha Merkerson[a] (born Sharon Epatha Merkerson; November 28, 1952) is an American actress. She has received accolades for her work, including an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, four NAACP Image Awards, two Obie Awards, and two Tony Award nominations. She is known for her portrayal of NYPD Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on the NBC police procedural drama series Law & Order, a role she played from 1993 to 2010, appearing in 388 episodes of the series.[5][6] She is also known for playing Reba the Mail Lady on Pee-wee's Playhouse and Sharon Goodwin in the NBC medical drama Chicago Med since the series premiered in November 2015 (and in crossover appearances on Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D.).

Early life

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Merkerson was born Sharon Epatha Merkerson in Saginaw, Michigan, and raised in Detroit.[7][8][9] She is the youngest of five children raised by her mother Ann who worked for the post office.[7]

During a segment on the January 31, 2012, episode of The Wendy Williams Show, when asked about the origin of her name, Merkerson said that "Epatha" was the name of "a grade-school teacher who was influential in keeping her father in school".[5] Merkerson graduated from Cooley High School in 1970 and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre at Wayne State University in 1976.[9][8] She then went on to obtain her masters degree in fine arts from New York University in 1978. She was made an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by Wayne State University in May 2009[10] and received the same distinction from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 2012, from Montclair State University in 2013, and from the University of Pittsburgh in 2017.

Career

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In 1978, she moved to New York City.[9]

Merkerson made her television debut as Reba the Mail Lady on Pee-wee's Playhouse. Merkerson has also appeared on The Cosby Show, among other series.[10]

She first appeared in the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order in "Mushrooms" (Season 1: Episode 17) as the grief-stricken mother of an 11-month-old boy who is shot accidentally. Her performance impressed the producers enough to select Merkerson to replace Dann Florek as detective squad chief in the series' fourth season, making her one of the few actors to secure a recurring role after an initial single appearance on the show.

Merkerson's career began to rise after she assumed the lead role in the one-woman play Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. That was followed by her performance as Berniece in August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize–winning play The Piano Lesson. For that, she was nominated for a Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Play. Merkerson has also won 2 Obie Awards for her work in I'm Not Stupid and Birdie Blue, a Helen Hayes Award for The Old Settler, and a Lucille Lortel nomination for F**king A by Suzan-Lori Parks.[10] Her screen credits include Jacob's Ladder, Loose Cannons, She's Gotta Have It, James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgment Day; and Navy SEALs. In 2006, she won a Golden Globe Award, an Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild award for her performance in the HBO film Lackawanna Blues. In 2007, she starred as Lola Delaney in the Los Angeles stage production of William Inge's Come Back, Little Sheba. In January 2008 the production opened a successful run on Broadway and earned Merkerson her second Tony nomination.

On April 1, 2010, it was confirmed that after 17 seasons, Merkerson would leave Law & Order at the end of the show's twentieth season.[6] Her departure from Law & Order, which aired on May 24, 2010, was also the show's final episode. In total, Merkerson appeared on the series for 17 consecutive seasons—395 episodes—which was more than any other actor associated with the program.[11]

In 2012, Merkerson became the host of Find Our Missing, a reality-reenactment series on TV One which profiles missing people of color.[12] She performed in Steven Spielberg's 2012 film Lincoln as Lydia Hamilton Smith, housekeeper to Tommy Lee Jones's character, Congressman Thaddeus Stevens.

In 2014, Merkerson appeared in the Primary Stages production of While I Yet Live, written by Billy Porter. In 2015, she joined the cast of NBC medical drama Chicago Med as Sharon Goodwin, Chief of Patient and Medical Services. The series was conceived and written by Law & Order creator Dick Wolf, along with Matt Olmstead, Derek Haas and Michael Brandt.[13] 2014, Merkerson became a spokesperson for Merck America's Diabetes Challenge, to increase Type 2 diabetes awareness among African Americans.[14]

Personal life

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Merkerson appeared on the television series of Henry Louis Gates' Finding Your Roots on February 5, 2019 (Season 5, Episode 5), in which she revealed that she was a descendant of Isaac Hawkins and eight others of the 272 enslaved people who were sold in the 1838 Jesuit slave sale by Jesuit priests. These priests owned plantations on which the enslaved people tilled tobacco; proceeds from the sale were used to pay off the debts of the Jesuit-operated Georgetown College (now Georgetown University).[15][9]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1986 She's Gotta Have It Dr. Jamison
1990 Loose Cannons Officer Rachel
Jacob's Ladder Elsa
Navy Seals Jolena 'Jo'
1991 Terminator 2: Judgment Day Tarissa Dyson
1999 Random Hearts Nea
2001 The Rising Place Lessie Watson
2003 Radio Maggie
2004 Jersey Girl Doctor
2005 Lackawanna Blues Rachel "Nanny" Crosby
2006 Black Snake Moan Angela
2007 Slipstream Bonnie
2009 The Six Wives of Henry Lefay Effa
Mother and Child Ada
2012 Find Our Missing Herself
Lincoln Lydia Smith
2013 Tyler Perry Presents Peeples Daphne Peeples
2015 The Challenger Jada Miller
2016 Year by the Sea Liz
2023 We Grown Now Anita

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1986–1989 Pee-wee's Playhouse Reba, The Mail Lady 16 episodes
1988 The Cosby Show Book Club Member #5 Episode: "Bookworm"
1989 CBS Summer Playhouse Jimmie Episode: "Elysian Fields"
1990 Equal Justice Mrs. Walters Episode: "Pilot"
1991 Law & Order Denise Winters Episode: "Mushrooms"
1992 Mann & Machine Captain Margaret Claghorn 9 episodes
1992–1993 Here and Now Ms. St. Marth 12 episodes
1993–2010 Law & Order Lieutenant Anita Van Buren 388 episodes
Nominated - NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (1997–1999 & 2001)
Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (1997–2002 & 2004)
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2006 & 2010–2011)
Nominated - NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2007–2009)
1994 A Place for Annie Alice TV movie
1995 A Mother's Prayer Ruby
1998 Exiled Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
2000 Frasier Dr. McCaskill Episode: "Dark Side of the Moon"
2001 Art:21 Herself Episode: "Spirituality"
A Girl Thing Lani TV movie
2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Lieutenant Anita Van Buren Episode: "Badge"
2005 Law & Order: Trial by Jury Episode: "Skeleton"
Lackawanna Blues Rachel 'Nanny' Crosby TV movie
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
Gracie Allen Award for Outstanding Female Lead in a Miniseries
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
Prism Award for Performance in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie
Nominated - Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
Nominated - Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
2007 The Closer Dr. Rebecca Dioli 3 episodes
Girl, Positive Ariel Winters TV movie
Nominated - NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
2012 Drop Dead Diva Judge Hiller Episode: "Lady Parts"
2013 The Good Wife Judge Melanie Ellis Episode: "Going for the Gold"
Deception Beverly 3 episodes
2014 The Gabby Douglas Story Miss Caroline TV movie
2015 Being Mary Jane Mark's Mother Episode: "Freedom"
2015–present Chicago Med Sharon Goodwin Main
Chicago Fire 5 episodes
2016–present Chicago P.D.
2023 Poker Face Joyce Carter Episode: "Time of the Monkey"

Awards and nominations

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Awards

Doctor of Letters, University of Pittsburgh

  • 2013 Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters,

Montclair State University

  • 2012 Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
  • 2009 Honorary Degree,

Doctor of Letters, Wayne State University

Nominations
  • 1990 Helen Hayes Award Best Actress, Non-Resident Play (The Piano Lesson)
  • 1990 Drama Desk Award Best Actress, Lead Role-Play (The Piano Lesson)
  • 1990 Tony Nomination Best Actress, Featured Role-Play (The Piano Lesson)
  • 1997 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order)
  • 1998 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order)
  • 1999 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order)
  • 2001 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order)
  • 2003 Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Lead Actress (Fucking A)
  • 2003 Drama League Award Distinguished Performance (Fucking A)
  • 2005 Satellite Award Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Lackawanna Blues)
  • 2006 Vision Award Best Dramatic Performance (ackawanna Blues)
  • 2006 Lucille Lortel Award Best Actress (Birdie Blue)
  • 2006 Independent Spirit Nomination Best Female Lead (Lackawanna Blues)
  • 2006 Drama League Award Distinguished Performance (Birdie Blue)
  • 2007 NAACP Image Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order)
  • 2008 NAACP Image Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order)
  • 2008 NAACP Image Award Nomination Best Actress in a Made for TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special (Girl, Positive)
  • 2008 Tony Award Nomination Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play (Come Back, Little Sheba)
  • 2008 NAACP Theatre Award Best Lead Female – Equity (Come Back, Little Sheba)

Notes

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  1. ^ Merkerson has stated that her current legal name is S. Epatha Merkerson, even though she was born Sharon Epatha Merkerson.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "S. Epatha Merkerson". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  2. ^ "S. Epatha Merkerson Biography". IMDb. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  3. ^ "S. Epatha Merkerson". The New Federal Theatre. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  4. ^ Dawn, Randee (June 10, 2010). "The Life Force of S. Epatha Merkerson". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Interview with S. Epatha Merkerson". The Wendy Williams Show. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Exclusive: S. Epatha Merkerson exits 'Law & Order'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 4, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Fletcher, Sharon Melson. "S. Epatha Merkerson". Contemporary Black Biography. Gale. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  8. ^ a b "S. Epatha Merkerson". TV Guide. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d "S. Epatha Merkerson". Biography.com. A&E Networks. Archived from the original on September 15, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  10. ^ a b c Merkerson, S. Epatha. "Interview". Inside the Actors Studio (Interview).
  11. ^ "Closing the Case With Law & Order's S. Epatha Merkerson". tv.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  12. ^ Labbé-DeBose, Theola (January 18, 2012). "TV One's 'Find Our Missing' highlight African Americans who vanished". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
  13. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 20, 2015). "Laurie Holden Cast In NBC's 'Chicago Med'". Deadline.com. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  14. ^ "Award-Winning Actress S. Epatha Merkerson and Merck Challenge African Americans with Type 2 Diabetes to Get to Their Goals". PR Newswire (Press release). Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  15. ^ "PBS' Finding Your Roots Shares History of the GU272". Georgetown Voice. February 15, 2019.
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