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Law & Order Vet S. Epatha Merkerson Loosens Up
On Monday at 9 pm/ET, S. Epatha Merkerson costars with Jennie Garth and Andrea Bowen (Julie Mayer on Desperate Housewives) in the Lifetime drama Girl, Positive, about a high-school honor student who contracts HIV. We spoke with the Emmy-winning actress about the TV-movie gig, big changes at Law & Order and her secretive stint on The Closer. TV Guide: What do you hope viewers will come away with after watching Girl, Positive? S. Epatha Merkerson: Most importantly, the fact that AIDS and HIV are still a part of our lives and young people need to be aware of
On Monday at 9 pm/ET, S. Epatha Merkerson costars with Jennie Garth and Andrea Bowen (Julie Mayer on Desperate Housewives) in the Lifetime drama Girl, Positive,about a high-school honor student who contracts HIV. We spoke with the Emmy-winning actress about the TV-movie gig, big changes at Law & Order and her secretive stint on The Closer.
TV Guide: What do you hope viewers will come away with after watching Girl, Positive?
S. Epatha Merkerson: Most importantly, thefact that AIDS and HIV are still a part of ourlives and young people need to be aware ofwhat they're doing. Kids need to really wakeup — the statistics are still quite mind-boggling.
TV Guide: How does it feel to now be the senior cast member of Law & Order?
Merkerson: Odd. You know, if Ihad known that this show would last as long asit has, I probably would have spent my moneydifferently and Iwould own half ofManhattan. It tookme like eight yearsto actually putsomething in my dressing room.I guess there are worse things to be than theveteran of a long-running, successful televisionshow. [Laughs]
TV Guide: And Jeremy Sisto is joining the cast.
Merkerson: I hear he's a lovely guy, so I can't wait, plus he's eye candy. I've been around for a lot of cast changes and they've all made the show interesting, they've given it a different texture. I will miss Milena [Govich], but I look forward to Jeremy.
TV Guide: Aren't there times you wish the no-nonsense Anita could just relax?
Merkerson: You know, I tell themthat all the time. If you look at some of the earlierepisodes, her buttons were all the way upto the top — I think Miss Thing is showing somecleavage now, so she has loosened up a bit.
TV Guide: You have an arc coming up on TNT's The Closer.
Merkerson: I'm having big fun — I love Kyra [Sedgwick],she's just a joy to work with. [My characteris] a therapist — that's about all I can say.
TV Guide: You started out as Reba the mail lady on Pee-Wee's Playhouse.
Merkerson: I love that my grandnephew,who's 7, is screaming at the "magicword." It's really cool that this whole generation can view them on DVD.
Send your comments on this Q&A to letters@tvguide.com.