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).
TV Shows(35)
Creature Commandos
Sam (voice)
2024
Peacemaker
Red St. Wild
2022
What If...?
Yondu (voice)
2021
Marvel Studios Legends
Yondu Udonta (archive footage) (uncredited)
2021
Dead Talk Live
Self - Guest
2020
Creepshow
Beau
2019
The Righteous Gemstones
Cobb Milsap
2019
The Rookie
Frank Teska
2018
SEAL Team
Big Chief
2017
Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed
Self
2016
Ride with Norman Reedus
Self
2016
CelebriD&D
Arnold
2015
True Detective
Edward Hoyt
2014
Talking Dead
Self
2011
The Walking Dead
Merle Dixon
2010
NSFW Show
Self - Guest
2009
Archer
Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (voice)
2009
Meteor
Calvin Stark
2009
Chuck
Mauser
2007
Burn Notice
Dale Lawson
2007
Shark
Oscar Riddick
2006
Psych
Garth Lawnmore
2006
Thief
Detective John Hayes
2006
Criminal Minds
Chief Carlson
2005
Las Vegas
Marcus Wexler
2003
Tremors
Kinney
2003
CSI: Miami
Marty Jones
2002
Crossing Jordan
Shawn Curaco
2001
Stargate SG-1
Colonel Edwards
1997
The Outer Limits
Colonel Beckett
1995
Fallen Angels
Babe McCloor
1993
Law & Order
Jamie Yost
1990
Gideon Oliver
Detective John Quinn
1989
Crime Story
Lieutenant
1986
The Equalizer
Bill Whitaker
1985
Movies(107)
Superman
Superman Robot #1 (voice)
2025
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
Sgt. Major Riordan
2024
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan
2024
The Out-Laws
Agent Oldham
2023
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Yondu
2023
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Yondu
2022
White Elephant
Gabriel Tancredi
2022
Corrective Measures
Warden Devlin
2022
Vivo
Lutador (voice)
2021
The Suicide Squad
Savant
2021
Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR
Self
2021
F9
Buddy
2021
Clerk
Self
2021
Love and Monsters
Clyde
2020
The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder
Self
2020
The Dark Tower
Elred Jonas
2020
Fantasy Island
Damon
2020
Brightburn
The Big T
2019
Bolden
Pat McMurphy
2019
The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking
Merle Dixon / Lucille's Father (voice)
2017
Life After Flash
Self
2017
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Yondu
2017
The Belko Experiment
Bud Melks
2016
The Sparrows Are Flying Again! - The Making of the Dark Half
Himself
2014
The Driving Dead
Trooper
2014
Guardians of the Galaxy
Yondu Udonta
2014
Elwood
Condello
2014
Brother's Keeper
Chief Carver
2013
Pennhurst
Dr. Death
2012
Hypothermia
Ray Pelletier
2012
Rogue River
Gas Attendent
2012
Mysteria
Captain McCarthy
2011
Cell 213
Ray Clement
2011
Super
Abe
2010
DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection
Red Doc (segment "Jonah Hex") (voice)
2010
Atlantis Down
Father / Alien
2010
The Making of The Walking Dead
Self
2010
DC Showcase: Jonah Hex
Red Doc (voice)
2010
Blood Done Sign My Name
Defense attorney Billy Watkins
2010
Matadors
John Canterna
2010
Louis
Pat McMurphy
2010
The Marine 2
Church
2009
Freeway Killer
Det. St. John
2009
Penance
Mann
2009
Super Capers
Judge / Dark Winged Vesper
2009
Humanzee!
Priest
2008
This Man's Life
Richard Crummly
2008
Jumper
William Rice
2008
Whisper
Sydney Braverman
2007
Slither
Grant Grant
2006
Lenexa, 1 Mile
Russ
2006
Repo! The Genetic Opera
2006
Portrait: The Making of Henry
Self
2005
Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats
Self
2005
Chasing Ghosts
Mark Spencer
2005
The Eliminator
2004
Skeleton Man
Captain Leary
2004
Saving Jessica Lynch
Colonel Curry
2003
On Thin Ice
Roger Hopkins
2003
The Box
Detective Stafford
2003
The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinity
Colonel Beckett
2002
Undisputed
A.J. Mercker
2002
The Making of 'Tombstone'
Self
2002
Replicant
Jake
2001
The 6th Day
Robert Marshall
2000
Newsbreak
John McNamara
2000
Table One
Rowdy
2000
Here on Earth
Malcolm Arnold
2000
Wicked Ways
Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan
1999
The Bone Collector
Captain Howard Cheney
1999
Renegade Force
Matt Cooper
1998
Brown's Requiem
Fritz Brown
1998
Shadow Builder
Father Vassey
1998
The Replacement Killers
Stan 'Zeedo' Zedkov
1998
Deceiver
Detective Edward Kennesaw
1997
Song of Hiawatha
Bertrand
1997
Keys to Tulsa
Keith Michaels
1997
Rosewood
Sheriff Walker
1997
Meet Wally Sparks
Michael Rooker
1997
Bastard Out of Carolina
Uncle Earle
1996
The Trigger Effect
Gary
1996
Back to Back
Bob Malone
1996
Mallrats
Svenning
1995
Johnny and Clyde
Frank Tennant
1995
The Hard Truth
Jonah Mantz
1994
Suspicious
Attendet
1994
Tombstone
Sherman McMasters
1993
Cliffhanger
Hal Tucker
1993
The Dark Half
Sheriff Alan Pangborn
1993
Afterburn
Casey 'Z' Zankowski
1992
JFK
Bill Broussard
1991
Days of Thunder
Rowdy Burns
1990
Music Box
Karchy Laszlo
1989
Sea of Love
Terry
1989
L.A. Takedown
Bosko
1989
The Edge
Deputy Sheriff (Indian Poker)
1989
Mississippi Burning
Frank Bailey
1988
Eight Men Out
Chick Gandil
1988
Above the Law
Man in Bar
1988
Retreads
1988
Rent-a-Cop
Joe
1987
Light of Day
Oogie
1987
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Henry
1986
Road Rage
Stony
The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow
The Man with the Answers
Pig Village
Steve
Izzi
Sheriff Blackstone