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