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An Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award winner, S. Epatha Merkerson has won critical acclaim for her brilliant work in theatre, television and film. Merkerson, currently in her 13th season on the perennial hit series LAW AND ORDER, recently received a 2006 NAACP Image Award for her portrayal of Lieutenant Anita Van Buren.

Starring in the HBO film LACKAWANNA BLUES as Rachel Nanny Crosby Ms.

Merkerson also garnered a 2006 NAACP Image Award, a Gracie Allen Award and an IFP Spirit nomination. Other film credits include: THE RISING PLACE, RADIO (Cammie Award), JERSEY GIRL, RANDOM HEARTS, TERMINATOR II: JUDGMENT DAY, JACOBS LADDER, NAVY SEALS and LOOSE CANNONS.

In addition to BLAKE SNAKE MOAN, she recently wrapped production on the independent film SLIPSTREAM written and directed by Anthony Hopkins. She stars opposite Anthony Hopkins, Fionnula Flanagan, Jeffrey Tambor and Camryn Manheim. The story is a noir comedy about an actor and would-be screenwriter who, at the very moment of his meeting with fate, comes to discover that life is random and fortune is sightless as he is thrown into a vortex where time, dreams and reality collide in an increasingly whirling slipstream.

Ms. Merkerson has co-starred in numerous television movies including A MOTHER'S PRAYER with Linda Hamilton, AN UNEXPECTED LIFE, IT'S A GIRL THING with Stockard Channing, and A PLACE FOR ANNIE with Mary-Louise Parker and Sissy Spacek. In 1998, she reprised her role as Lt. Anita Van Buren for the NBC movie EXILED with Chris Noth.

Prior to LAW AND ORDER Merkerson was a series regular on PEEWEE'S PLAYHOUSE where she played Reba The Mail lady, Dick Wolf's MANN AND MACHINE and the COSBY spin-off HERE AND NOW" with Malcolm Jamal Warner. She also filmed pilots MOE'S WORLD, ELYSIAN FIELDS and EQUAL JUSTICE and made guest appearances on THE COSBY SHOW, and the NBC comedy FRASIER.

On stage Merkerson has performed On and Off Broadway in productions including Suzan Lori-Parks' F**king A (Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress); August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Piano Lesson (Tony, Drama Desk and Helen Hayes nominations for Best Actress); the Young Playwrights Festival's production of I'm Not Stupid (Obie Award); The Old Settler (Helen Hayes Award). She most recently performed in Cheryl West's' play Birdie Blue (Obie Award, Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress and Drama League Distinguished Performance Award) at Second Stage Theatre in New York City.

A native of Detroit Michigan, Merkerson received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Wayne State University. She lives in New York City.