Michael Rooker
Acting
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
Acting144
movieSuperman
2025
Superman Robot #1 (voice)
tvCreature Commandos
2024
Sam (voice)
movieHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
2024
Sgt. Major Riordan
movieHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
2024
Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan
movieThe Out-Laws
2023
Agent Oldham
movieWhite Elephant
2022
Gabriel Tancredi
movieCorrective Measures
2022
Warden Devlin
tvPeacemaker
2022
Red St. Wild
tvWhat If...?
2021
Yondu (voice) / Yondu Udonta (voice)
movieVivo
2021
Lutador (voice)
movieF9
2021
Buddy
movieClerk
2021
Self
tvMarvel Studios Legends
2021
Yondu Udonta (archive footage) (uncredited)
tvDead Talk Live
2020
Self - Guest
The Dark Tower
2020
Elred Jonas
tvCreepshow
2019
Beau
tvThe Righteous Gemstones
2019
Cobb Milsap
movieBrightburn
2019
The Big T
movieBolden
2019
Pat McMurphy
tvThe Rookie
2018
Frank Teska
movieThe Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking
2017
Merle Dixon / Lucille's Father (voice)
tvSEAL Team
2017
Big Chief
movieThe Belko Experiment
2017
Bud Melks
tvCelebriD&D
2015
Arnold
movieThe Driving Dead
2014
Trooper
movieGuardians of the Galaxy
2014
Yondu Udonta
movieElwood
2014
Condello
tvTrue Detective
2014
Edward Hoyt
movieBrother's Keeper
2013
Chief Carver
moviePennhurst
2012
Dr. Death
movieHypothermia
2012
Ray Pelletier
movieRogue River
2012
Gas Attendent
movieMysteria
2011
Captain McCarthy
movieCell 213
2011
Ray Clement
movieDC Showcase Original Shorts Collection
2010
Red Doc (segment "Jonah Hex") (voice)
tvThe Walking Dead
2010
Merle Dixon
movieAtlantis Down
2010
Father / Alien
movieDC Showcase: Jonah Hex
2010
Red Doc (voice)
movieBlood Done Sign My Name
2010
Defense attorney Billy Watkins
Matadors
2010
John Canterna
movieLouis
2010
Pat McMurphy
movieThe Marine 2
2009
Church
tvNSFW Show
2009
Self - Guest
movieFreeway Killer
2009
Det. St. John
tvArcher
2009
Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (voice)
tvMeteor
2009
Calvin Stark
moviePenance
2009
Mann
movieSuper Capers
2009
Judge / Dark Winged Vesper
movieHumanzee!
2008
Priest
This Man's Life
2008
Richard Crummly
movieJumper
2008
William Rice
movieWhisper
2007
Sydney Braverman
tvChuck
2007
Mauser
tvBurn Notice
2007
Dale Lawson
tvShark
2006
Oscar Riddick
tvPsych
2006
Garth Lawnmore
movieSlither
2006
Grant Grant
tvThief
2006
Detective John Hayes
tvCriminal Minds
2005
Chief Carlson
movieChasing Ghosts
2005
Mark Spencer
movieSkeleton Man
2004
Captain Leary
movieSaving Jessica Lynch
2003
Colonel Curry
movieOn Thin Ice
2003
Roger Hopkins
tvLas Vegas
2003
Marcus Wexler
movieThe Box
2003
Detective Stafford
tvTremors
2003
Kinney
tvCSI: Miami
2002
Marty Jones
movieUndisputed
2002
A.J. Mercker
tvCrossing Jordan
2001
Shawn Curaco
movieThe 6th Day
2000
Robert Marshall
movieNewsbreak
2000
John McNamara
movieTable One
2000
Rowdy
movieHere on Earth
2000
Malcolm Arnold
movieWicked Ways
1999
Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan
movieThe Bone Collector
1999
Captain Howard Cheney
movieRenegade Force
1998
Matt Cooper
movieBrown's Requiem
1998
Fritz Brown
movieShadow Builder
1998
Father Vassey
movieThe Replacement Killers
1998
Stan 'Zeedo' Zedkov
movieDeceiver
1997
Detective Edward Kennesaw
tvStargate SG-1
1997
Colonel Edwards
movieSong of Hiawatha
1997
Bertrand
movieKeys to Tulsa
1997
Keith Michaels
movieRosewood
1997
Sheriff Walker
movieMeet Wally Sparks
1997
Michael Rooker
movieBastard Out of Carolina
1996
Uncle Earle
movieBack to Back
1996
Bob Malone
movieMallrats
1995
Svenning
tvThe Outer Limits
1995
Colonel Beckett
movieJohnny and Clyde
1995
Frank Tennant
movieThe Hard Truth
1994
Jonah Mantz
movieSuspicious
1994
Attendant
movieTombstone
1993
Sherman McMasters
tvFallen Angels
1993
Babe McCloor
movieCliffhanger
1993
Hal Tucker
movieThe Dark Half
1993
Sheriff Alan Pangborn
movieAfterburn
1992
Casey 'Z' Zankowski
movieJFK
1991
Bill Broussard
tvLaw & Order
1990
Jamie Yost
movieDays of Thunder
1990
Rowdy Burns
movieMusic Box
1989
Karchy Laszlo
movieSea of Love
1989
Terry
movieThe Edge
1989
Deputy Sheriff (Indian Poker)
Gideon Oliver
1989
Detective John Quinn
movieMississippi Burning
1988
Frank Bailey
movieEight Men Out
1988
Chick Gandil
movieAbove the Law
1988
Man in Bar
tvCrime Story
1986
Lieutenant
tvThe Equalizer
1985
Bill Whitaker
movieThe Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow
The Man with the Answers
moviePig Village
Steve
Izzi
Sheriff Blackstone
Production2
movieWicked Ways
1999
Co-Executive Producer
movieBrown's Requiem
1998
Associate Producer
Crew1
Directing1
moviePennhurst
2012
Director