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