S. Epatha Merkerson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids S. Epatha Merkerson
Merkerson in 2017
Born	Sharon Epatha Merkerson (1952-11-28) November 28, 1952 (age 72) Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
Education	Wayne State University (BFA),
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1976–present

S. Epatha Merkerson (born Sharon Epatha Merkerson on November 28, 1952) is an American actress. She has won many awards for her acting. These include an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She also has four NAACP Image Awards and two Obie Awards. She was nominated twice for a Tony Award.

Merkerson is very well known for playing Lieutenant Anita Van Buren. This character was on the NBC police drama series Law & Order. She was on the show from 1993 to 2010. She appeared in 388 episodes, which is a lot! She also played Reba the Mail Lady on Pee-wee's Playhouse. Since 2015, she has played Sharon Goodwin in the NBC medical drama Chicago Med. She also appears in Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. as the same character.

Early Life

Merkerson was born in Saginaw, Michigan. She grew up in Detroit. She is the youngest of five children. Her mother, Ann, worked for the post office. She raised Merkerson and her siblings.

In 2012, Merkerson shared how she got her unique name, "Epatha." She said it was the name of a teacher. This teacher helped her father stay in school. Merkerson finished Cooley High School in 1970. She then studied theatre at Wayne State University. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1976. Later, several universities gave her honorary degrees. These special degrees honored her achievements.

Career

In 1978, Merkerson moved to New York City. She started her acting career there.

Her first TV role was Reba the Mail Lady. This was on the fun children's show Pee-wee's Playhouse. Merkerson also appeared on The Cosby Show.

She first appeared on the NBC police drama Law & Order in 1991. She played a mother whose baby was accidentally shot. The producers were very impressed with her acting. Because of this, they chose her for a main role. She became the detective squad chief in the show's fourth season. This made her one of the few actors to get a regular role after just one appearance.

Merkerson's career grew even more. She starred in a play called Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. After that, she played Berniece in the play The Piano Lesson. For this role, she was nominated for a Tony Award. This award is one of the highest honors in theater. She also won two Obie Awards for her work in other plays.

Merkerson has been in many movies. Some of these include Jacob's Ladder and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In 2006, she won a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award. She also won a Screen Actors Guild Award. These were for her amazing performance in the HBO movie Lackawanna Blues. In 2008, she received her second Tony nomination for the play Come Back, Little Sheba.

On April 1, 2010, it was announced that Merkerson would leave Law & Order. She left after 17 seasons. Her last episode aired on May 24, 2010. This was also the show's final episode. She appeared in 395 episodes. This is more than any other actor on the show.

In 2012, Merkerson became the host of Find Our Missing. This TV show on TV One tells stories of missing people of color. She also acted in Steven Spielberg's 2012 movie Lincoln. She played Lydia Hamilton Smith, who was the housekeeper for Congressman Thaddeus Stevens.

In 2015, she joined the cast of the NBC medical drama Chicago Med. She plays Sharon Goodwin, who is the Chief of Patient and Medical Services. This show was created by Dick Wolf, who also created Law & Order. In 2014, Merkerson became a spokesperson for Merck America's Diabetes Challenge. She helps raise awareness about Type 2 diabetes among African Americans.

Personal Life

Merkerson appeared on the TV series Finding Your Roots in 2019. On the show, she learned about her family history. She found out she is a descendant of Isaac Hawkins. He was one of 272 enslaved people sold by Jesuit priests in 1838. These priests owned farms where the enslaved people worked. The money from the sale helped pay off debts for Georgetown College, which is now Georgetown University.

Filmography

Movies

TV Shows

Awards and Nominations

Awards

• 1992 Obie Award Outstanding Performance (I'm Not Stupid)
• 1999 Helen Hayes Award Outstanding Lead Actress-Resident Play (The Old Settler)
• 2002 Regulus Award For her dedication to lung cancer awareness and education
• 2005 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Lackawanna Blues)
• 2006 SunDeis Film Festival at Brandeis University Entertainer of the Year Award
• 2006 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries (Lackawanna Blues)
• 2006 PRISM Award Performance in a TV Movie or Miniseries (Lackawanna Blues)
• 2006 Obie Award Outstanding Performance (Birdie Blue)
• 2006 NAACP Image Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order)
• 2006 NAACP Image Award Best Actress in a Made for TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special (Lackawanna Blues)
• 2006 Gracie Allen Award Outstanding Female Lead – Miniseries (Lackawanna Blues')
• 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Lackawanna Blues)
• 2006 Black Reel Award Best Actress in a Made for TV Movie or Miniseries (Lackawanna Blues)
• 2010 NAACP Image Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order)
• 2011 NAACP Image Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order)
• 2017 Honorary Degree,

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)
• 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)

See also

In Spanish: S. Epatha Merkerson para niños