Epatha Merkerson Net Worth
Epatha Merkerson is an American actress with a net worth of $11 million dollars. She’s best known for her role as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on Law & Order, for which she appeared in 395 episodes and became one of its longest-serving African-American actors. Additionally, Epatha has appeared in multiple other movies and television shows, earning numerous awards for her performances.
She was born in Saginaw, Michigan to a middle class family. She attended Cooley High School before earning a bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University. In 2009, the college honored her with an honorary doctor of humane letters title.
After graduating college, she moved to Albany, New York and began her acting career on stage. She worked with a children’s theater company before landing her first TV role as Reba the Mail Lady on Pee-wee’s Playhouse.
She began her acting career with roles in movies and on TV shows before landing her biggest role on Law & Order. In a Law & Order episode called “Mushrooms,” she played the grieving mother of an 11-month-old boy who was accidentally shot.
Her role on Law & Order earned her numerous accolades, such as four NAACP Image Awards and two Tony Award nominations. Additionally, she won a Golden Globe and was nominated for both SAG Award and Obie Award.
She starred in several other films, such as Jacob’s Ladder and Loose Cannons. Additionally, she performed in several plays and earned a Tony nomination for her portrayal of Berniece in August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Piano Lesson.
Merkerson has also become an advocate for lung cancer awareness and is a member of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids since 2008. At 23 years old, she quit smoking after experiencing breathing complications due to her habit.
According to reports, the actress reportedly earns an annual salary of $11 million dollars. Her income sources include earnings from film and TV appearances.
Her IMDb page lists over sixty credits as an actor, director, producer and four soundtrack credits. In recognition of her work she has earned many awards and nominations such as an Emmy, SAG Award, Obie Award and Golden Globe nominations.
She has starred in several TV shows and is currently working on a biographical drama and music movie called Sexual Healing, starring Alberty Gay. Additionally, she hosts Find Our Missing on TV One; a reality-enactment show that profiles missing people of color.
Her biographical film She’s Gotta Have It was released in 1986 and received rave reviews. Since then, she has appeared in a number of other films and television series such as Jacob’s Ladder and James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
Despite her success in the entertainment industry, she has never been married. As a single woman, she has lived without a husband since 2006.
She was born in Saginaw, Michigan on 28 November 1952 and is an accomplished actress with a net worth of $11 million as of 2020.