Michael Rooker
Acting • Born 1955-04-06
Biography
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).
Filmography
143 credits
Corrective Measures
Movie • 2022
Warden Devlin
The Box
Movie • 2003
Detective Stafford
Days of Thunder
Movie • 1990
Rowdy Burns
Mississippi Burning
Movie • 1988
Frank Bailey
JFK
Movie • 1991
Bill Broussard
Music Box
Movie • 1989
Karchy Laszlo
Mallrats
Movie • 1995
Svenning
Replicant
Movie • 2001
Jake
The Dark Half
Movie • 1993
Sheriff Alan Pangborn
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Movie • 1986
Henry
Super Capers
Movie • 2009
Judge / Dark Winged Vesper
Penance
Movie • 2009
Mann
The Replacement Killers
Movie • 1998
Stan 'Zeedo' Zedkov
The 6th Day
Movie • 2000
Robert Marshall
Tombstone
Movie • 1993
Sherman McMasters
Jumper
Movie • 2008
William Rice
Freeway Killer
Movie • 2009
Det. St. John
Sea of Love
Movie • 1989
Terry
Rosewood
Movie • 1997
Sheriff Walker
Slither
Movie • 2006
Grant Grant
The Bone Collector
Movie • 1999
Captain Howard Cheney
Light of Day
Movie • 1987
Oogie
L.A. Takedown
Movie • 1989
Bosko
Cliffhanger
Movie • 1993
Hal Tucker
The Marine 2
Movie • 2009
Church
Here on Earth
Movie • 2000
Malcolm Arnold
Eight Men Out
Movie • 1988
Chick Gandil
Whisper
Movie • 2007
Sydney Braverman
Deceiver
Movie • 1997
Detective Edward Kennesaw
DC Showcase: Jonah Hex
Movie • 2010
Red Doc (voice)
Undisputed
Movie • 2002
A.J. Mercker
Renegade Force
Movie • 1998
Matt Cooper
Super
Movie • 2010
Abe
Clerk
Movie • 2021
Self
Brown's Requiem
Movie • 1998
Fritz Brown
The Suicide Squad
Movie • 2021
Savant
Shadow Builder
Movie • 1998
Father Vassey
The Out-Laws
Movie • 2023
Agent Oldham
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Movie • 2023
Yondu
Lenexa, 1 Mile
Movie • 2006
Russ
Back to Back
Movie • 1996
Bob Malone
Matadors
Movie • 2010
John Canterna
Skeleton Man
Movie • 2004
Captain Leary
Rogue River
Movie • 2012
Gas Attendent
Afterburn
Movie • 1992
Casey 'Z' Zankowski
Hypothermia
Movie • 2012
Ray Pelletier
Guardians of the Galaxy
Movie • 2014
Yondu Udonta
Keys to Tulsa
Movie • 1997
Keith Michaels
Louis
Movie • 2010
Pat McMurphy
Saving Jessica Lynch
Movie • 2003
Colonel Curry
Song of Hiawatha
Movie • 1997
Bertrand
Brother's Keeper
Movie • 2013
Chief Carver
The Hard Truth
Movie • 1994
Jonah Mantz
Retreads
Movie • 1988
Table One
Movie • 2000
Rowdy
Wicked Ways
Movie • 1999
Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan
On Thin Ice
Movie • 2003
Roger Hopkins
The Trigger Effect
Movie • 1996
Gary
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Movie • 2024
Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan
Road Rage
Movie
Stony
Suspicious
Movie • 1994
Attendet
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Movie • 2022
Yondu
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
Movie • 2024
Sgt. Major Riordan
The Belko Experiment
Movie • 2016
Bud Melks
The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow
Movie
The Man with the Answers
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Movie • 2017
Yondu
Humanzee!
Movie • 2008
Priest
Blood Done Sign My Name
Movie • 2010
Defense attorney Billy Watkins
Cell 213
Movie • 2011
Ray Clement
Atlantis Down
Movie • 2010
Father / Alien
Mysteria
Movie • 2011
Captain McCarthy
Guide to the Galaxy with James Gunn
Movie • 2014
Self
The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking
Movie • 2017
Merle Dixon / Lucille's Father (voice)
Chasing Ghosts
Movie • 2005
Mark Spencer
Bolden
Movie • 2019
Pat McMurphy
The Eliminator
Movie • 2004
Pennhurst
Movie • 2012
Dr. Death
Fantasy Island
Movie • 2020
Damon
Love and Monsters
Movie • 2020
Clyde
Brightburn
Movie • 2019
The Big T
F9
Movie • 2021
Buddy
Life After Flash
Movie • 2017
Self
Rent-a-Cop
Movie • 1987
Joe
DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection
Movie • 2010
Red Doc (segment "Jonah Hex") (voice)
The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinity
Movie • 2002
Colonel Beckett
Meet Wally Sparks
Movie • 1997
Michael Rooker
The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder
Movie • 2020
Self
Newsbreak
Movie • 2000
John McNamara
Johnny and Clyde
Movie • 1995
Frank Tennant
The Sparrows Are Flying Again! - The Making of the Dark Half
Movie • 2014
Himself
Above the Law
Movie • 1988
Man in Bar
Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats
Movie • 2005
Self
This Man's Life
Movie • 2008
Richard Crummly
The Making of The Walking Dead
Movie • 2010
Self
Vivo
Movie • 2021
Lutador (voice)
Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR
Movie • 2021
Self
White Elephant
Movie • 2022
Gabriel Tancredi
Portrait: The Making of Henry
Movie • 2005
Self
Bastard Out of Carolina
Movie • 1996
Uncle Earle
The Driving Dead
Movie • 2014
Trooper
Elwood
Movie • 2014
Condello
The Dark Tower
Movie • 2020
Elred Jonas
Pig Village
Movie
Steve
Repo! The Genetic Opera
Movie • 2006
Superman
Movie • 2025
Superman Robot #1 (voice)
The Edge
Movie • 1989
Deputy Sheriff (Indian Poker)
The Making of 'Tombstone'
Movie • 2002
Self
Izzi
Movie
Sheriff Blackstone
The Walking Dead
TV • 2010
Merle Dixon
Chuck
TV • 2007
Mauser
Shark
TV • 2006
Oscar Riddick
CSI: Miami
TV • 2002
Marty Jones
Las Vegas
TV • 2003
Marcus Wexler
Crossing Jordan
TV • 2001
Shawn Curaco
Thief
TV • 2006
Detective John Hayes
Criminal Minds
TV • 2005
Chief Carlson
The Equalizer
TV • 1985
Bill Whitaker
Tremors
TV • 2003
Kinney
Stargate SG-1
TV • 1997
Colonel Edwards
The Outer Limits
TV • 1995
Colonel Beckett
Meteor
TV • 2009
Calvin Stark
What If...?
TV • 2021
Yondu (voice)
CelebriD&D
TV • 2015
Arnold
The Rookie
TV • 2018
Frank Teska
Ride with Norman Reedus
TV • 2016
Self
Psych
TV • 2006
Garth Lawnmore
Marvel Studios Legends
TV • 2021
Yondu Udonta (archive footage) (uncredited)
Burn Notice
TV • 2007
Dale Lawson
Archer
TV • 2009
Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (voice)
Creepshow
TV • 2019
Beau
Talking Dead
TV • 2011
Self
Gideon Oliver
TV • 1989
Detective John Quinn
SEAL Team
TV • 2017
Big Chief
What If...?
TV • 2021
Yondu Udonta (voice)
Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed
TV • 2016
Self
Fallen Angels
TV • 1993
Babe McCloor
Crime Story
TV • 1986
Lieutenant
Dead Talk Live
TV • 2020
Self - Guest
True Detective
TV • 2014
Edward Hoyt
Law & Order
TV • 1990
Jamie Yost
Creature Commandos
TV • 2024
Sam (voice)
The Righteous Gemstones
TV • 2019
Cobb Milsap
Peacemaker
TV • 2022
Red St. Wild