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