Michael Rooker
Actor, Producer, Director
April 6, 1955 (70 years)
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).
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).
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Featured Videos
Filmography
| 2025 | Superman · as Superman Robot #1 (voice) |
| 2024 | Creature Commandos · as Sam (voice) |
| 2024 | Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 · as Sgt. Major Riordan |
| 2024 | Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 · as Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan |
| 2023 | The Out-Laws · as Agent Oldham |
| 2023 | Fast X · as Buddy |
| 2023 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 · as Yondu |
| 2022 | The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special · as Yondu |
| 2022 | White Elephant · as Gabriel Tancredi |
| 2022 | Corrective Measures · as Warden Devlin |
| 2022 | Peacemaker · as Red St. Wild |
| 2021 | Fairfax · as Lorelai |
| 2021 | What If…? · as Yondu (voice) |
| 2021 | Vivo · as Lutador (voice) |
| 2021 | The Suicide Squad · as Savant |
| 2021 | F9: The Fast Saga · as Buddy |
| 2021 | Marvel Studios: Legends · as Yondu Udonta (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2020 | Love and Monsters · as Clyde |
| 2020 | The Dark Tower · as Elred Jonas |
| 2020 | Fantasy Island · as Damon |
| 2019 | Creepshow · as BeauOn Plex |
| 2019 | The Righteous Gemstones · as Cobb Milsap |
| 2019 | Brightburn · as The Big T |
| 2019 | Bolden · as Pat Mcmurphy |
| 2018 | The Rookie · as Frank Teska |
| 2017 | The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking · as Merle Dixon / Lucille's Father (voice) |
| 2017 | SEAL Team · as Big Chief |
| 2017 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 · as Yondu |
| 2016 | The Belko Experiment · as Bud Melks |
| 2015 | CelebriD&D · as Arnold |
| 2014 | The Driving Dead · as Trooper |
| 2014 | Guardians of the Galaxy · as Yondu Udonta |
| 2014 | True Detective · as Edward Hoyt |
| 2013 | Brother's Keeper · as Chief Carver |
| 2012 | The Lost Episode · as Dr. DeathOn Plex |
| 2012 | Outlaw Country · as Cast |
| 2011 | Rogue River · as Gas Attendent |
| 2011 | Mysteria · as Captain Mccarthy |
| 2011 | Cell 213 · as Ray ClementOn Plex |
| 2010 | Hypothermia · as Ray PelletierOn Plex |
| 2010 | Super · as Abe |
| 2010 | Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam · as Red Doc |
| 2010 | DC Showcase Collection · as Red Doc (segment "jonah Hex") (voice) |
| 2010 | Conan (2010) · as Merle Dixon |
| 2010 | The Walking Dead · as Merle Dixon |
| 2010 | Atlantis Down · as Father / Alien |
| 2010 | Jonah Hex · as Red Doc (voice) |
| 2010 | Blood Done Sign My Name · as Defense Attorney Billy WatkinsOn Plex |
| 2010 | Louis · as Pat Mcmurphy |
| 2010 | Freeway Killer · as Det. St. JohnOn Plex |
| 2009 | The Marine 2 · as Church |
| 2009 | Archer (2009) · as Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (voice) |
| 2009 | Penance · as Mann |
| 2009 | Meteor: Path to Destruction · as Calvin Stark |
| 2008 | James Gunn's Humanzee · as Father Flannagan |
| 2008 | Hope & Redemption: The Lena Baker Story · as Sheriff Haney |
| 2008 | Super Capers: The Origins of Ed and the Missing Bullion · as Judge / Dark Winged Vesper |
| 2008 | Jumper · as William Rice |
| 2007 | Chuck · as Mauser |
| 2007 | Burn Notice · as Dale Lawson |
| 2007 | Whisper · as Sydney Braverman |
| 2006 | Shark · as Oscar Riddick |
| 2006 | Psych · as Garth Lawnmore |
| 2006 | Slither · as Grant Grant |
| 2006 | Thief · as Detective John Hayes |
| 2006 | Lenexa, 1 Mile · as Russ |
| 2006 | |
| 2005 | Chasing Ghosts · as Mark Spencer |
| 2005 | Criminal Minds · as Chief Carlson |
| 2005 | Robot Chicken · as Lucille's Father |
| 2005 | Numb3rs · as Don's Partner |
| 2004 | |
| 2004 | Skeleton Man · as Captain LearyOn Plex |
| 2003 | Saving Jessica Lynch · as Colonel Curry |
| 2003 | On Thin Ice · as Roger Hopkins |
| 2003 | Las Vegas · as Marcus Wexler |
| 2003 | The Box · as Detective Stafford |
| 2003 | Lucky (2003) · as Gibby |
| 2003 | Tremors · as Kinney |
| 2002 | CSI: Miami · as Marty Jones |
| 2002 | Undisputed · as A.j. Mercker |
| 2002 | Jeremiah · as Major QuantrellOn Plex |
| 2001 | Crossing Jordan · as Shawn Curaco |
| 2001 | Replicant · as JakeOn Plex |
| 2000 | The 6th Day · as Robert Marshall |
| 2000 | Newsbreak · as John Mcnamara |
| 2000 | Table One · as Rowdy |
| 2000 | Here on Earth · as Malcolm Arnold |
| 1999 | The Bone Collector · as Captain Howard Cheney |
| 1999 | Table for One · as Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan |
| 1999 | Mallrats: Deleted Scenes · as Svenning |
| 1998 | Rogue Force · as Matt Cooper |
| 1998 | Brown's Requiem · as Fritz Brown |
| 1998 | Shadow Builder · as Father VasseyOn Plex |
| 1998 | The Replacement Killers · as Stan 'zeedo' Zedkov |
| 1997 | Deceiver · as Detective Edward Kennesaw |
| 1997 | Stargate SG-1 · as Colonel Edwards |
| 1997 | Song of Hiawatha · as BertrandOn Plex |
| 1997 | Keys to Tulsa · as Keith MichaelsOn Plex |
| 1997 | Rosewood · as Sheriff Walker |
| 1996 | Bastard Out of Carolina · as Uncle Earle |
| 1996 | The Trigger Effect · as Gary |
| 1996 | Back to Back · as Bob MaloneOn Plex |
| 1995 | Mallrats · as Svenning |
| 1995 | JAG · as Captain Jack Ramsey |
| 1995 | Johnny & Clyde · as Frank Tennant |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits (1995) · as Colonel Beckett |
| 1994 | The Hard Truth · as Jonah MantzOn Plex |
| 1993 | Tombstone · as Sherman Mcmasters |
| 1993 | Dear Diary · as Henry |
| 1993 | Fallen Angels · as Babe Mccloor |
| 1993 | Cliffhanger · as Hal Tucker |
| 1993 | The Dark Half · as Sheriff Alan Pangborn |
| 1992 | Afterburn · as Casey 'z' Zankowski |
| 1991 | JFK · as Bill Broussard |
| 1990 | Law & Order · as Jamie Yost |
| 1990 | Days of Thunder · as Rowdy Burns |
| 1990 | Equal Justice · as Wallace 'wally' Dalton |
| 1989 | Music Box · as Karchy Laszlo |
| 1989 | Sea of Love · as Terry |
| 1989 | L.A. Takedown · as Bosko |
| 1989 | Gideon Oliver · as Detective John Quinn |
| 1988 | Mississippi Burning · as Frank BaileyOn Plex |
| 1988 | Eight Men Out · as Chick Gandil |
| 1988 | Above the Law · as Man In Bar |
| 1988 | |
| 1987 | Rent-a-Cop · as JoeOn Plex |
| 1987 | Light of Day · as Oogie |
| 1986 | Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer · as HenryOn Plex |
| 1986 | Crime Story · as LieutenantOn Plex |
| 1985 | The Equalizer · as Bill Whitaker |
| 1998 | Brown's Requiem · as Associate Producer |
| 2012 | The Lost EpisodeOn Plex |
| 1999 | Table for One · as Co-Executive Producer |