Biography
As an acclaimed performer with gritty but approachable style, actress S. Epatha Merkerson began her career on the stage both on and off-Broadway before moving to television, where she played the longest-running character on the seemingly eternal "Law & Order" (NBC, 1990-2010). Prior to her run on the procedural, Merkerson was perhaps best known for her small, but memorable role as a screaming wife in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1991) while …
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Career Milestones
2007 | Returned to the stage as the aging, disillusioned Lola of William Inge's "Come Back, Little Sheba"; earned a Tony award nomination for Best Actress in a Play | |
2007 | Cast opposite Samuel L. Jackson in "Black Snake Moan" | |
2005 | Won an Emmy for her role as Nanny, the owner of a boarding house in Lackawanna, New York in the HBO original movie "Lackawanna Blues"; also earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress | |
1993 | Made debut as a series regular on NBC's police and courtroom drama, "Law & Order" as Lt. Anita Van Buren; left the series at the end of the 2009-2010 season | |
1993 | First TV-movie, "It's Nothing Personal" | |
1992 | Returned to the Off-Broadway stage in "I'm Not Stupid" | |
1990 | Acted the leading role of Berniece in out-of-town tryouts, on tour and on Broadway in director Lloyd Richards's staging of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, "The Piano Lesson"; nominated for a Tony Award | |
1989 | Made feature film debut in a small role in "Loose Cannons" | |
| Reprised the role of Reba from "Pee-wee's Playhouse" on several primetime CBS specials | ||
1987 | Acted Off-Off-Broadway at the Hudson Guild Theater in the play, "Moms" | |
1987 | Replaced Lonette McKee in the role of Billie Holliday in the Off-Broadway biographical musical drama, "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill" | |
1986 | Cast in first TV role, as Reba, "the mail lady" on the children's comedy and variety series, "Pee-wee's Playhouse" | |
1984 | Appeared at the famed Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam (Connecticut) to play a prominent role in a staging of the musical, "The Dream Team" | |
1978 | Had featured role in the national tour of "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf..." | |
1976 | Moved to NYC to pursue acting career | |
| Worked in children's theater in Albany, New York after graduating from college | ||
| Raised in Detroit, Michigan | ||
Awards
2006 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead in Lackawanna Blues |
2006 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Lackawanna Blues |
2005 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Lackawanna Blues |
2005 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie in Lackawanna Blues |
2004 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Law & Order |
2002 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Law & Order |
2001 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Law & Order |
2000 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Law & Order |
1999 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Law & Order |
1998 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Law & Order |
1997 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Law & Order |
1996 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Law & Order |
1995 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Law & Order |