OSCAR, EMMY AND GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER WHOOPI GOLDBERG TO GUEST-STAR IN NBC'S "LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT"

"I told the writers I want to be dead-eye bad, " said Goldberg. Law & Order's S. Epatha Merkerson Guest Stars

NEW YORK -- April 6, 2006 -- Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe, Tony and Grammy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg will guest-star in the first episode of a new recurring role on NBC's drama "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (Sundays, 9-10 p.m. ET) as a foster mother gone very bad. Goldberg's appearance will be broadcast in May and in this episode, her character, Chesley Watkins, will be a criminal nemesis to Detective Mike Logan (Chris Noth).

"I love the show and have wanted to come on forever -- I told the writers, 'I want to be dead-eye bad,' so I hope they're ready for my 'Criminal Intent,'" said Goldberg.

"Whoopi never gets to be the bad guy ? in the world of 'Criminal Intent' ? she'll be the baddest" says Fred Berner, Executive Producer, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."

Joining Goldberg in the episode will be Emmy Award-winner S. Epatha Merkerson, who will reprise her character Lieutenant Van Buren from NBC's "Law & Order" in a crossover appearance.

Born and raised in New York City, Goldberg began working in theater and improvisation in San Diego and San Francisco. She eventually created the gallery of characters that became "The Spook Show" and later evolved into her break-through hit show on Broadway that yielded a Grammy Award-winning album.

Goldberg made her feature-film debut in Steven Spielberg's "The Color Purple," which earned her an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe Award. Her performance in "Ghost" gained her an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.

Goldberg's other films include "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "The Long Walk Home," "Soapdish," "The Player," "Sarafina!," "Sister Act," "Made in America," "Corrina, Corrina," "The Lion King," "Star Trek: Generations," "Boys on the Side," "The Associate," "Ghosts of Mississippi," "Deep End of the Ocean" and "Girl, Interrupted."

On television, Goldberg appeared for five seasons on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," co-starred with Jean Stapleton in the comedy series "Bagdad Cafe?" and hosted her own syndicated late-night talk show, "The Whoopi Goldberg Show." She appeared with Glenn Close and Bridget Fonda in the Emmy-nominated HBO movie drama, "In the Gloaming," as well as "The Wonderful World of Disney's 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella,'" "A Knight in Camelot," "A Very Muppet Christmas" and the miniseries "Alice in Wonderland" and "The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns."

Goldberg also executive-produced the cable drama "Strong Medicine." From 1998-2002, she appeared in the center square and was executive producer of "Hollywood Squares."

In 1997, Goldberg garnered rave reviews in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and soon after returned to Broadway in the revival of "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."

Goldberg received Emmy nominations for hosting the 66th, 68th and 71st broadcasts of "The Academy Awards" telecasts and returned to host the 2002 telecast at the new Kodak Theatre. In addition, she authored the children's tome "Alice" and her "Book" became a bestseller in the United States and abroad.

More recently, Goldberg starred in and executive-produced the comedy series "Whoopi" and was featured in the television production of "Whoopi: Back to Broadway -- the 20th Anniversary." Her voice will be heard in the upcoming animated feature films "Everyone's Hero" and "Farce of the Penguins."

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" currently in its fifth season, takes viewers into the minds of its criminals while following the psychological approaches the Major Case Squad uses to solve the crimes. In addition to Detective Logan and his partner, Detective Barek (Annabella Sciorra), the Major Case Squad follows Detectives Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe). Courtney B. Vance and Jamey Sheridan also star.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" is a Wolf Films production in association with NBC Universal Television Studio and is Dick Wolf's third installment of the "Law and Order" brand, the second-longest running drama series in the history of television. Wolf, Rene Balcer, Fred Berner and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.