Joanna Merlin

Biography

Joanna Merlin was a celebrated American actress and casting director who worked on iconic productions like Fiddler on the Roof and starred in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Judge Lena Petrovsky. She also wrote two acting guides, including Auditioning: An Actor-Friendly Guide, and taught at New York University's graduate acting program. Merlin studied under Michael Chekhov, learning his renowned technique, and was one of the last students still alive and teaching.