Known For
Acting
Known Credits
145
Gender
Male
Birthday
April 6, 1955 (71 years old)
Place of Birth
Jasper, Alabama, USA
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).
| 2025 | Supermanas Superman Robot #1 (voice) | |
| 2024 | Creature Commandosas Sam (voice) | |
| 2024 | Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2as Sgt. Major Riordan | |
| 2024 | Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1as Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan | |
| 2023 | The Out-Lawsas Agent Oldham | |
| 2023 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3as Yondu | |
| 2022 | The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Specialas Yondu | |
| 2022 | White Elephantas Gabriel Tancredi | |
| 2022 | Corrective Measuresas Warden Devlin | |
| 2022 | Peacemakeras Red St. Wild | |
| 2021 | What If...?as Yondu (voice) | |
| 2021 | What If...?as Yondu Udonta (voice) | |
| 2021 | Vivoas Lutador (voice) | |
| 2021 | The Suicide Squadas Savant | |
| 2021 | Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCARas Self | |
| 2021 | F9as Buddy | |
| 2021 | Clerkas Self | |
| 2021 | Marvel Studios Legendsas Yondu Udonta (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 2020 | Love and Monstersas Clyde | |
| 2020 | The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunderas Self | |
| 2020 | Dead Talk Liveas Self - Guest | |
| 2020 | The Dark Toweras Elred Jonas | |
| 2020 | Fantasy Islandas Damon | |
| 2019 | Creepshowas Beau | |
| 2019 | The Righteous Gemstonesas Cobb Milsap | |
| 2019 | Brightburnas The Big T | |
| 2019 | Boldenas Pat McMurphy | |
| 2018 | The Rookieas Frank Teska | |
| 2017 | The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walkingas Merle Dixon / Lucille's Father (voice) | |
| 2017 | Life After Flashas Self | |
| 2017 | SEAL Teamas Big Chief | |
| 2017 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2as Yondu | |
| 2017 | The Belko Experimentas Bud Melks | |
| 2016 | Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealedas Self | |
| 2016 | Ride with Norman Reedusas Self | |
| 2015 | CelebriD&Das Arnold | |
| 2014 | The Sparrows Are Flying Again! - The Making of the Dark Halfas Himself | |
| 2014 | The Driving Deadas Trooper | |
| 2014 | Guardians of the Galaxyas Yondu Udonta | |
| 2014 | Elwoodas Condello | |
| 2014 | True Detectiveas Edward Hoyt | |
| 2013 | Brother's Keeperas Chief Carver | |
| 2012 | Pennhurstas Dr. Death | |
| 2012 | Hypothermiaas Ray Pelletier | |
| 2012 | Rogue Riveras Gas Attendent | |
| 2011 | Mysteriaas Captain McCarthy | |
| 2011 | Talking Deadas Self | |
| 2011 | Cell 213as Ray Clement | |
| 2010 | Superas Abe | |
| 2010 | DC Showcase Original Shorts Collectionas Red Doc (segment "Jonah Hex") (voice) | |
| 2010 | The Walking Deadas Merle Dixon | |
| 2010 | Atlantis Downas Father / Alien | |
| 2010 | The Making of The Walking Deadas Self | |
| 2010 | DC Showcase: Jonah Hexas Red Doc (voice) | |
| 2010 | Blood Done Sign My Nameas Defense attorney Billy Watkins | |
| 2010 | Louisas Pat McMurphy | |
| 2010 | Matadorsas John Canterna | |
| 2009 | The Marine 2as Church | |
| 2009 | NSFW Showas Self - Guest | |
| 2009 | Freeway Killeras Det. St. John | |
| 2009 | Archeras Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (voice) | |
| 2009 | Meteoras Calvin Stark | |
| 2009 | Penanceas Mann | |
| 2009 | Super Capersas Judge / Dark Winged Vesper | |
| 2008 | Humanzee!as Priest | |
| 2008 | This Man's Lifeas Richard Crummly | |
| 2008 | Jumperas William Rice | |
| 2007 | Whisperas Sydney Braverman | |
| 2007 | Chuckas Mauser | |
| 2007 | Burn Noticeas Dale Lawson | |
| 2006 | Sharkas Oscar Riddick | |
| 2006 | Psychas Garth Lawnmore | |
| 2006 | Slitheras Grant Grant | |
| 2006 | Thiefas Detective John Hayes | |
| 2006 | Lenexa, 1 Mileas Russ | |
| 2006 | Repo! The Genetic Operaas | |
| 2005 | Portrait: The Making of Henryas Self | |
| 2005 | Criminal Mindsas Chief Carlson | |
| 2005 | Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallratsas Self | |
| 2005 | Chasing Ghostsas Mark Spencer | |
| 2004 | The Eliminatoras | |
| 2004 | Skeleton Manas Captain Leary | |
| 2003 | Saving Jessica Lynchas Colonel Curry | |
| 2003 | On Thin Iceas Roger Hopkins | |
| 2003 | Las Vegasas Marcus Wexler | |
| 2003 | The Boxas Detective Stafford | |
| 2003 | Tremorsas Kinney | |
| 2002 | CSI: Miamias Marty Jones | |
| 2002 | The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinityas Colonel Beckett | |
| 2002 | Undisputedas A.J. Mercker | |
| 2002 | The Making of 'Tombstone'as Self | |
| 2001 | Crossing Jordanas Shawn Curaco | |
| 2001 | Replicantas Jake | |
| 2000 | The 6th Dayas Robert Marshall | |
| 2000 | Newsbreakas John McNamara | |
| 2000 | Table Oneas Rowdy | |
| 2000 | Here on Earthas Malcolm Arnold | |
| 1999 | Wicked Waysas Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan | |
| 1999 | The Bone Collectoras Captain Howard Cheney | |
| 1998 | Renegade Forceas Matt Cooper | |
| 1998 | Brown's Requiemas Fritz Brown | |
| 1998 | Shadow Builderas Father Vassey | |
| 1998 | The Replacement Killersas Stan 'Zeedo' Zedkov | |
| 1997 | Deceiveras Detective Edward Kennesaw | |
| 1997 | Stargate SG-1as Colonel Edwards | |
| 1997 | Song of Hiawathaas Bertrand | |
| 1997 | Keys to Tulsaas Keith Michaels | |
| 1997 | Rosewoodas Sheriff Walker | |
| 1997 | Meet Wally Sparksas Michael Rooker | |
| 1996 | Bastard Out of Carolinaas Uncle Earle | |
| 1996 | The Trigger Effectas Gary | |
| 1996 | Back to Backas Bob Malone | |
| 1995 | Mallratsas Svenning | |
| 1995 | The Outer Limitsas Colonel Beckett | |
| 1995 | Johnny and Clydeas Frank Tennant | |
| 1994 | The Hard Truthas Jonah Mantz | |
| 1994 | Suspiciousas Attendant | |
| 1993 | Tombstoneas Sherman McMasters | |
| 1993 | Fallen Angelsas Babe McCloor | |
| 1993 | Cliffhangeras Hal Tucker | |
| 1993 | The Dark Halfas Sheriff Alan Pangborn | |
| 1992 | Afterburnas Casey 'Z' Zankowski | |
| 1991 | JFKas Bill Broussard | |
| 1990 | Law & Orderas Jamie Yost | |
| 1990 | Days of Thunderas Rowdy Burns | |
| 1989 | Music Boxas Karchy Laszlo | |
| 1989 | Sea of Loveas Terry | |
| 1989 | L.A. Takedownas Bosko | |
| 1989 | The Edgeas Deputy Sheriff (Indian Poker) | |
| 1989 | Gideon Oliveras Detective John Quinn | |
| 1988 | Mississippi Burningas Frank Bailey | |
| 1988 | Eight Men Outas Chick Gandil | |
| 1988 | Above the Lawas Man in Bar | |
| 1988 | Retreadsas | |
| 1987 | Rent-a-Copas Joe | |
| 1987 | Light of Dayas Oogie | |
| 1986 | Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killeras Henry | |
| 1986 | Crime Storyas Lieutenant | |
| 1985 | The Equalizeras Bill Whitaker | |
| Road Rageas Stony | ||
| Izzias Sheriff Blackstone | ||
| Stallone on the Edge: The Making of Cliffhangeras Self | ||
| Pig Villageas Steve | ||
| Survive the Nightas | ||
| The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadowas The Man with the Answers |
| 2012 | Pennhurst...Director | |
| 2008 | Repo! The Genetic Opera...Thanks | |
| 1999 | Wicked Ways...Co-Executive Producer | |
| 1998 | Brown's Requiem...Associate Producer |
