Michael Rooker
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Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955) is an American actor who mainly plays roles of antagonists. He first rose to prominence for portraying the titular role in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) and is best known for starring as Merle Dixon in the AMC series The Walking Dead (2010–2013) and as Yondu Udonta in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), followed by its sequels Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023). He is a recurring collaborator of Guardians of the Galaxy director and co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn, appearing in all of his films to date, including Slither (2006), Super (2010), and The Suicide Squad (2021). Rooker's other notable roles include Chick Gandil in Eight Men Out (1988), Frank Bailey in Mississippi Burning (1988), Terry Cruger in Sea of Love (1989), Rowdy Burns in Days of Thunder (1990), Bill Broussard in JFK (1991), Hal Tucker in Cliffhanger (1993), Sherman McMaster in Tombstone (1993), Jared Svenning in Mallrats (1995), Detective Edward Kennesaw in Deceiver (1997), Detective Howard Cheney in The Bone Collector (1999), Detective Jake Riley in Replicant (2001), and Buddy in F9 (2021).
Known for
Credits
Superman (2025)
as Superman Robot #1 (voice)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
as Yondu
The Suicide Squad (2021)
as Savant
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
as Yondu
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
as Yondu Udonta
Fantasy Island (2020)
as Damon
Slither (2006)
as Grant Grant
Tombstone (1993)
as Sherman McMasters
Days of Thunder (1990)
as Rowdy Burns
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
as Yondu
Brightburn (2019)
as The Big T
The Bone Collector (1999)
as Captain Howard Cheney
F9 (2021)
as Buddy
Love and Monsters (2020)
as Clyde
Undisputed (2002)
as A.J. Mercker
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 (2024)
as Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan
Cliffhanger (1993)
as Hal Tucker
Jumper (2008)
as William Rice
The Out-Laws (2023)
as Agent Oldham
Mississippi Burning (1988)
as Frank Bailey
The 6th Day (2000)
as Robert Marshall
The Belko Experiment (2017)
as Bud Melks
JFK (1991)
as Bill Broussard
Sea of Love (1989)
as Terry
The Replacement Killers (1998)
as Stan 'Zeedo' Zedkov
Above the Law (1988)
as Man in Bar
White Elephant (2022)
as Gabriel Tancredi
Vivo (2021)
as Lutador (voice)
Bastard Out of Carolina (1996)
as Uncle Earle
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 (2024)
as Sgt. Major Riordan
The Dark Half (1993)
as Sheriff Alan Pangborn
Mallrats (1995)
as Svenning
Super (2010)
as Abe
Eight Men Out (1988)
as Chick Gandil
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
as Henry
Replicant (2001)
as Jake
L.A. Takedown (1989)
as Bosko
Corrective Measures (2022)
as Warden Devlin
The Trigger Effect (1996)
as Gary
The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking (2017)
as Merle Dixon / Lucille's Father (voice)
Whisper (2007)
as Sydney Braverman
DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection (2010)
as Red Doc (segment "Jonah Hex") (voice)
The Marine 2 (2009)
as Church
Skeleton Man (2004)
as Captain Leary
Here on Earth (2000)
as Malcolm Arnold
The Making of 'Tombstone' (2002)
as Self
DC Showcase: Jonah Hex (2010)
as Red Doc (voice)
Deceiver (1997)
as Detective Edward Kennesaw
Meet Wally Sparks (1997)
as Michael Rooker
Music Box (1989)
as Karchy Laszlo
The Making of The Walking Dead (2010)
as Self
Rent-a-Cop (1987)
as Joe
Rosewood (1997)
as Sheriff Walker
The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder (2020)
as Self
Back to Back (1996)
as Bob Malone
Light of Day (1987)
as Oogie
Blood Done Sign My Name (2010)
as Defense attorney Billy Watkins
Suspicious (1994)
as Attendant
Chasing Ghosts (2005)
as Mark Spencer
Life After Flash (2017)
as Self
Keys to Tulsa (1997)
as Keith Michaels
Bolden (2019)
as Pat McMurphy
Wicked Ways (1999)
as Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan
Brown's Requiem (1998)
as Fritz Brown
Shadow Builder (1998)
as Father Vassey
On Thin Ice (2003)
as Roger Hopkins
Afterburn (1992)
as Casey 'Z' Zankowski
Super Capers (2009)
as Judge / Dark Winged Vesper
Matadors (2010)
as John Canterna
The Sparrows Are Flying Again! - The Making of the Dark Half (2014)
as Himself
Lenexa, 1 Mile (2006)
as Russ
Song of Hiawatha (1997)
as Bertrand
Cell 213 (2011)
as Ray Clement
Penance (2009)
as Mann
The Box (2003)
as Detective Stafford
Retreads (1988)
Actor
Renegade Force (1998)
as Matt Cooper
The Hard Truth (1994)
as Jonah Mantz
Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats (2005)
as Self
Mysteria (2011)
as Captain McCarthy
Johnny and Clyde (1995)
as Frank Tennant
Clerk (2021)
as Self
The Edge (1989)
as Deputy Sheriff (Indian Poker)
Stallone on the Edge: The Making of Cliffhanger (1993)
as Self
Izzi (—)
as Sheriff Blackstone
Rogue River (2012)
as Gas Attendent
Road Rage (—)
as Stony
Brother's Keeper (2013)
as Chief Carver
The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow (—)
as The Man with the Answers
Atlantis Down (2010)
as Father / Alien
Pig Village (—)
as Steve
Pennhurst (2012)
as Dr. Death
Portrait: The Making of Henry (2005)
as Self
Repo! The Genetic Opera (2006)
Actor
Newsbreak (2000)
as John McNamara
Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR (2021)
as Self
The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinity (2002)
as Colonel Beckett
Freeway Killer (2009)
as Det. St. John
Humanzee! (2008)
as Priest
This Man's Life (2008)
as Richard Crummly
Elwood (2014)
as Condello
The Eliminator (2004)
Actor
Saving Jessica Lynch (2003)
as Colonel Curry
The Dark Tower (2020)
as Elred Jonas
Table One (2000)
as Rowdy
Hypothermia (2012)
as Ray Pelletier
Scott's Dead (—)
as Mitch
Louis (2010)
as Pat McMurphy
The Driving Dead (2014)
as Trooper
Survive the Night (—)
Actor