Michael Rooker
- Acting
- April 6, 1955 · Jasper, Alabama, USA
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).
Known for
Filmography
- Superman · Superman Robot #1 (Voice)
- Creature Commandos · Sam (Voice)
- Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 · Sgt. Major Riordan
- Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 · Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan
- The Out-Laws · Agent Oldham
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 · Yondu
- The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special · Yondu
- White Elephant · Gabriel Tancredi
- Corrective Measures · Warden Devlin
- Peacemaker · Red St. Wild
- What If...? · Yondu (Voice), Yondu Udonta (Voice)
- Vivo · Lutador (Voice)
- The Suicide Squad · Savant
- Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR · Self
- F9 · Buddy
- Clerk · Self
- Marvel Studios Legends · Yondu Udonta (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Love and Monsters · Clyde
- The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder · Self
- Dead Talk Live · Self
- The Dark Tower · Elred Jonas
- Fantasy Island · Damon
- Creepshow · Beau
- The Righteous Gemstones · Cobb Milsap
- Brightburn · The Big T
- Bolden · Pat McMurphy
- The Rookie · Frank Teska
- The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking · Merle Dixon / Lucille's Father (Voice)
- Life After Flash · Self
- SEAL Team · Big Chief
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 · Yondu
- The Belko Experiment · Bud Melks
- Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed · Self
- Ride with Norman Reedus · Self
- CelebriD&D · Arnold
- The Sparrows Are Flying Again! - The Making of the Dark Half · Self
- The Driving Dead · Trooper
- Guardians of the Galaxy · Yondu Udonta
- Elwood · Condello
- True Detective · Edward Hoyt
- Brother's Keeper · Chief Carver
- Pennhurst · Dr. Death, Director
- Hypothermia · Ray Pelletier
- Rogue River · Gas Attendent
- Mysteria · Captain McCarthy
- Talking Dead · Self
- Cell 213 · Ray Clement
- Super · Abe
- DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection · Red Doc (segment "Jonah Hex") (Voice)
- The Walking Dead · Merle Dixon
- Atlantis Down · Father / Alien
- The Making of The Walking Dead · Self
- DC Showcase: Jonah Hex · Red Doc (Voice)
- Blood Done Sign My Name · Defense attorney Billy Watkins
- Matadors · John Canterna
- Louis · Pat McMurphy
- The Marine 2 · Church
- NSFW Show · Self
- Freeway Killer · Det. St. John
- Archer · Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (Voice)
- Meteor · Calvin Stark
- Penance · Mann
- Super Capers · Judge / Dark Winged Vesper
- Humanzee! · Priest
- Repo! The Genetic Opera · Thanks
- Hope & Redemption: The Lena Baker Story · Sheriff Haney
- This Man's Life · Richard Crummly
- Jumper · William Rice
- Whisper · Sydney Braverman
- Chuck · Mauser
- Burn Notice · Dale Lawson
- Shark · Oscar Riddick
- Psych · Garth Lawnmore
- Slither · Grant Grant
- Thief · Detective John Hayes
- Lenexa, 1 Mile · Russ
- Repo! The Genetic Opera
- Portrait: The Making of Henry · Self
- Criminal Minds · Chief Carlson
- Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats · Self