S. Epatha Merkerson

S. Epatha Merkerson, born as Sharon Epatha Merkerson on November 28, 1952, is a highly acclaimed American actress. Her work on stage and screen has earned her an array of accolades, 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 perhaps best known for her portrayal of NYPD Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on the NBC police procedural drama series Law & Order, appearing in 388 episodes from 1993 to 2010. Merkerson is also recognized for her role as Reba the Mail Lady on Pee-wee's Playhouse and as Sharon Goodwin in the NBC medical drama Chicago Med since 2015. Prior to gaining fame, Merkerson graduated from Wayne State University in 1976 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre. A passionate advocate for education, she received honorary Doctorates from multiple universities. With the debut of her character on Pee-wee's Playhouse, Merkerson started her illustrious career. She had various roles on television series and moved to Broadway, which led to multiple award-winning portrayals. After 17 seasons on Law & Order, she left the show only to continue her career in series such as Find Our Missing and widely acclaimed films like Steven Spielberg's Lincoln.