S. Epatha Merkerson

Sharon Epatha Merkerson (usually credited as S. Epatha Merkerson), born 28 November 1952 in Saginaw, Michigan, is a Tony Award nominated and Emmy winning American actress. She is best known as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren (1993-present) on the long-running TV crime drama Law & Order. She is currently the longest-serving cast member. When it reaches its 366th episode in the 16th season, she will become the first actress to appear in 300 episodes.

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28 November - 1952 - Saginaw - Michigan - Tony Award - Lieutenant Anita Van Buren - 1993 - Law & Order

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Raised in Detroit as the youngest of five children, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Wayne State University and began her New York theater career in 1978.

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Detroit - Bachelor of Fine Arts - Wayne State University - New York - 1978

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Merkerson was nominated for a Tony award for Best Actress for her performance as Berniece in The Piano Lesson and won an Obie Award in 1992 for her work in I'm Not Stupid.

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The Piano Lesson - Obie Award - 1992 - I'm Not Stupid

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Her screen credits include Jacob's Ladder, Loose Cannons, She's Gotta Have It, and James Cameron's ', in which she played Joe Morton's terrified wife.

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Jacob's Ladder - Loose Cannons - She's Gotta Have It - James Cameron - Joe Morton

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Merkerson made her television debut as Reba the Mail Lady on Pee Wee's Playhouse, and has appeared on The Cosby Show, among other series, but her most important single television appearance may have been in the first season Law and Order episode "Mushrooms," in which she portrayed the grief-stricken mother of an 11-month-old boy who is shot accidentally. Her work was not only memorable to the audience during that key first season, but also to the producers, who later picked Merkerson for the role of the new detective squad chief in the series' fourth season.

Related Topics:
Reba the Mail Lady - Pee Wee's Playhouse - The Cosby Show

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She is an outspoken advocate against smoking and for lung cancer research and awareness.

Related Topics:
Smoking - Lung cancer

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