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).
143 acting credits · 1 directing credit
Acting · 143
Law & Order
1990
The Rookie
2018
Criminal Minds
2005
The Walking Dead
2010
CSI: Miami
2002
Stargate SG-1
1997
Psych
2006
SEAL Team
2017
True Detective
2014
Crossing Jordan
2001
Burn Notice
2007
Archer
2009
Las Vegas
2003
The Equalizer
1985
Chuck
2007
Peacemaker
2022
Superman
2025
What If...?
2021
The Outer Limits
1995
Shark
2006
The Righteous Gemstones
2019
Marvel Studios Legends
2021
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
2023
The Suicide Squad
2021
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
2017
Creepshow
2019
Fallen Angels
1993
Crime Story
1986
Creature Commandos
2024
Talking Dead
2011
Guardians of the Galaxy
2014
F9
2021
Brightburn
2019
Tremors
2003
Tombstone
1993
Mississippi Burning
1988
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
2022
Ride with Norman Reedus
2016
Cliffhanger
1993
Jumper
2008
JFK
1991
Fantasy Island
2020
Love and Monsters
2020
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
2024
Days of Thunder
1990
Undisputed
2002
The 6th Day
2000
Slither
2006
The Bone Collector
1999
Above the Law
1988
The Belko Experiment
2017
Vivo
2021
NSFW Show
2009
Replicant
2001
Meteor
2009
Sea of Love
1989
Super
2010
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
2024
The Out-Laws
2023
Thief
2006
Mallrats
1995
The Replacement Killers
1998
Bastard Out of Carolina
1996
Dead Talk Live
2020
Gideon Oliver
1989
Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed
2016
The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking
2017
CelebriD&D
2015
Corrective Measures
2022
Whisper
2007
Eight Men Out
1988
White Elephant
2022
Pig Village
—
Rosewood
1997
The Dark Half
1993
Music Box
1989
Clerk
2021
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
1986
Deceiver
1997
The Making of The Walking Dead
2010
DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection
2010
Bolden
2019
DC Showcase: Jonah Hex
2010
Light of Day
1987
The Trigger Effect
1996
Here on Earth
2000
Keys to Tulsa
1997
Freeway Killer
2009
The Marine 2
2009
Penance
2009
Chasing Ghosts
2005
Super Capers
2009
Back to Back
1996
Meet Wally Sparks
1997
Lenexa, 1 Mile
2006
Song of Hiawatha
1997
Rent-a-Cop
1987
On Thin Ice
2003
Blood Done Sign My Name
2010
Mysteria
2011
Skeleton Man
2004
The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder
2020
L.A. Takedown
1989
Renegade Force
1998
The Dark Tower
2020
Afterburn
1992
Wicked Ways
1999
Cell 213
2011
The Eliminator
2004
Shadow Builder
1998
Rogue River
2012
The Edge
1989
The Hard Truth
1994
Table One
2000
Pennhurst
2012
Elwood
2014
Brown's Requiem
1998
Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats
2005
Saving Jessica Lynch
2003
Newsbreak
2000
The Box
2003
The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinity
2002
Louis
2010
Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR
2021
Hypothermia
2012
Brother's Keeper
2013
Matadors
2010
Life After Flash
2017
Retreads
1988
Atlantis Down
2010
The Making of 'Tombstone'
2002
Johnny and Clyde
1995
Suspicious
1994
Humanzee!
2008
The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow
—
This Man's Life
2008
The Sparrows Are Flying Again! - The Making of the Dark Half
2014
Portrait: The Making of Henry
2005
Izzi
—
The Driving Dead
2014
Repo! The Genetic Opera
2006
Road Rage
—
Stallone on the Edge: The Making of Cliffhanger
—