S. Epatha Merkerson

Biography: Distinctive in both her talent and down-to-earth appearance, Merkerson started out on stage, appearing off-off-Broadway and in regional theater. In the 1980s, she landed her first series-regular TV role, as Reba the mail lady on Pee-wee's Playhouse, and essayed a handful of guest spots. Merkerson seemed destined to become one of the legions of working no-name actors, until everything changed for her in the 1990s. After being nominated for a 1991 Tony for her searing turn in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Piano Lesson, Merkerson gave a devastating performance as a grieving mother on an episode of Law & Order. The next year, she again worked with L&O creator Dick Wolf on the short-lived sci-fi/crime series Mann & Machine, on which she played a cop. So when L&O introduced no-nonsense police lieutenant Anita Van Buren in Season 4, Merkerson was a shoo-in for the part. In addition to her most high-profile gig, she's taken on a variety of small roles in features and TV movies,Distinctive in both her talent and down-to-earth appearance, Merkerson started out on stage, appearing off-off-Broadway and in regional theater. In the 1980s, she landed her first series-regular TV role, as Reba the mail lady on Pee-wee's Playhouse, and essayed a handful of guest spots. Merkerson seemed destined to become one of the legions of working no-name actors, until everything changed for her in the 1990s. After being nominated for a 1991 Tony for her searing turn in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Piano Lesson, Merkerson gave a devastating performance as a grieving mother on an episode of Law & Order. The next year, she again worked with L&O creator Dick Wolf on the short-lived sci-fi/crime series Mann & Machine, on which she played a cop. So when L&O introduced no-nonsense police lieutenant Anita Van Buren in Season 4, Merkerson was a shoo-in for the part. In addition to her most high-profile gig, she's taken on a variety of small roles in features and TV movies, and regularly returned to her theatrical roots. But in 2005, a different small-screen project brought Merkerson her greatest accolades to date: the TV movie Lackawanna Blues, for which her turn as the lively head of a boardinghouse earned Merkerson an Emmy, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and an NAACP Image Award. In 2010, she announced that L&O's 20th season would be her last, after 17 years playing Anita Van Buren---the longest-appearing black character on a prime-time drama in TV history. Expand

S. Epatha Merkerson's Scores

  • Movies
  • TV
Average career score: 56
Highest Metascore: 79 She's Gotta Have It
Lowest Metascore: 38 Navy Seals
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 10
  2. Negative: 2 out of 10
10 movie reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
76 We Grown Now Apr 19, 2024 Anita tbd
43 Year by the Sea Sep 8, 2017 Liz / Liz / Liz / Liz 8.0
tbd The Challenger Sep 11, 2015 Jada 4.5
52 Peeples May 10, 2013 Daphne Peeples / Daphne Peeples / Daphne Peeples / Daphne Peeples tbd
52 Black Snake Moan Mar 2, 2007 Angela / Angela tbd
43 Jersey Girl Mar 26, 2004 Doctor #1 7.5
38 Radio Oct 24, 2003 Maggie 8.1
75 Terminator 2: Judgment Day Jul 3, 1991 Tarissa Dyson 9.0
62 Jacob's Ladder Nov 2, 1990 Elsa 4.5
38 Navy Seals Jul 20, 1990 Jolena / Jolena tbd
79 She's Gotta Have It Aug 8, 1986 Doctor Jamison / Doctor Jamison / Doctor Jamison tbd