An Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award winner, S. Epatha Merkerson has won critical acclaim for her work in theater, television, and film. Merkerson is known for her 17 years on NBC’s hit series, Law & Order, which earned her nine SAG Award nominations as a member of the ensemble cast, two individual NAACP Image Awards, and several other nominations. She appeared in more episodes of the show than any other cast member. Starring in the HBO film Lackawanna Blues, she also won NAACP Image and Gracie Awards, and an IFP Spirit nomination. Her film credits include The Rising Place, Radio, Jersey Girl, Random Hearts, Terminator II: Judgement Day, Jacob’s Ladder, Navy Seals, Loose Cannons, Black Snake Moan, and the independent film Slipstream, which was written and directed by Anthony Hopkins and premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

Merkerson has performed on and off Broadway in stage productions including Suzan-Lori Parks' F**king A, for which she earned a Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress; August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning The Piano Lesson, garnering Tony, Drama Desk, and Helen Hayes Award nominations for Best Actress; The Old Settler, for which she won the Helen Hayes Award; Cheryl West's Birdie Blue, earning her a Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress and Drama League Distinguished Performance Award; and Michael Pressman’s Broadway production of Come Back Little Sheba, for which she received Tony, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle nominations. A native of Detroit, Merkerson resides in New York City.