S. Epatha Merkerson Career (Biography, Net Worth, Personal Life & Early Life)

Sharon Epatha Merkerson, popularly known as S. Epatha Merkerson on many social media platforms, is also known for her film debut in 1986, the same year she made her television debut in Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It.” She didn’t appear in another film until 1990 when she appeared in “Loose Cannons,” the horrific psychological thriller “Jacob’s Ladder,” and the military action film “Navy SEALS.”

S. Epatha Merkerson, an American actress, is worth $12 million.

Below is S. Epatha Merkerson’s detailed information, such as early life, personal life, and more

S. Epatha Merkerson Bio & Wiki Overview

Sharon Epatha Merkerson, a native of Detroit, was born in Saginaw on November 28, 1952. Her mother, Ann, a postmaster, raised her and her four older siblings, Linda, Debbie, Barrie, and Zephyr. Merkerson graduated from Cooley High School in 1970 and earned her schooling in California. She attended Wayne State University and earned a BFA in drama in 1976. Merkerson earned a master’s degree in fine arts from New York University in 1978.

Career

Merkerson made her film debut in 1986, the same year she made her television debut in Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It.” She didn’t appear in another film until 1990 when she appeared in “Loose Cannons,” the horrific psychological thriller “Jacob’s Ladder,” and the military action film “Navy SEALS.” Merkerson later appeared as Tarissa Dyson in James Cameron’s highly praised science fiction action thriller “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

Merkerson’s breakthrough came in the early 2000s, with appearances in films such as “The Rising Place,” “Radio,” and “Jersey Girl.” She continued to work as an extra, appearing in films such as “Black Snake Moan,” “Slipstream,” alongside “The Six Wives of Henry Lefay,” and “Mother and Child.” Merkerson portrayed Lynda Smith, Congressman Thaddeus Stevens’ maid, in Steven Spielberg’s 2012 Oscar-winning film “Lincoln.” Merkerson then starred in the 2013 romantic comedy “Peeples” as Kerry Washington’s character’s mother. Among her other works are the plays “The Challenger” and “Year by the Sea.”

Net Worth

S. Epatha Merkerson, an American actress, is worth $12 million. S. Epatha Merkerson has played Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on NBC’s “Law & Order” for numerous seasons. She appeared in 395 series episodes between 1993 and 2010 (including crossover appearances on spinoffs).

Merkerson was the first African-American television regular for an extended period. Ice T of “Law & Order: SVU” fame outdid him with his achievement. She has been active with various additional film, television, and stage appearances since leaving “Law & Order” in 2010.

She has received several important awards, including four NAACP Image Awards, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, an Obie Award, and an Emmy. S. Epatha Merkerson has also received two Tony Award nominations. In 2015, S. Epatha Merkerson joined the main cast of the NBC series “Chicago” (Fire, Med, P.D.). Merkerson’s filmography is lengthy and remarkable and includes classics such as “She’s Gotta Have It,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Lackawanna Blues,” “Lincoln,” and “Year by the Sea.”

Personal Details

Merkerson’s first marriage to Toussaint Jones Jr. lasted from 1994 until their divorce in 2006. They did not have children together.

After participating in the PBS genealogy television show “Finding Your Roots” by Henry Louis Gates Jr., Merkerson found she is connected to Isaac Hawkins and eight other enslaved people sold in the 1838 Jesuit slave sale.

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