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).
Known For
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
Corrective Measures
Warden Devlin
2022
The Suicide Squad
Savant
2021
Clerk
Self
2021
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Yondu
2017
The Belko Experiment
Bud Melks
2016
Guardians of the Galaxy
Yondu Udonta
2014
Brother's Keeper
Chief Carver
2013
Hypothermia
Ray Pelletier
2012
Rogue River
Gas Attendent
2012
Mysteria
Captain McCarthy
2011
Cell 213
Ray Clement
2011
Super
Abe
2010
Atlantis Down
Father / Alien
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
Jumper
William Rice
2008
Whisper
Sydney Braverman
2007
Slither
Grant Grant
2006
Lenexa, 1 Mile
Russ
2006
Skeleton Man
Captain Leary
2004
Saving Jessica Lynch
Colonel Curry
2003
On Thin Ice
Roger Hopkins
2003
The Box - 2003
Detective Stafford
2003
Undisputed
A.J. Mercker
2002
Replicant
Jake
2001
The 6th Day
Robert Marshall
2000
Here on Earth
Malcolm Arnold
2000
Table One
Rowdy
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
The Trigger Effect
Gary
1996
Back to Back
Bob Malone
1996
Mallrats
Svenning
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
Mississippi Burning
Frank Bailey
1988
Eight Men Out
Chick Gandil
1988
Retreads
1988
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
Meteor
Calvin Stark
Superman
Superman Robot #5 (voice)
2025
Fast X
Buddy (uncredited)
2023
White Elephant
Gabriel Tancredi
2022
Vivo
Lutador (voice)
2021
Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR
Self
2021
F9
Buddy
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 Inferno
2017
Guide to the Galaxy with James Gunn
Self
2014
The Sparrows Are Flying Again! - The Making of the Dark Half
Himself
2014
The Driving Dead
Trooper
2014
Elwood
Condello
2014
Pennhurst
Dr. Death
2012
DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection
Red Doc (segment "Jonah Hex") (voice)
2010
The Making of The Walking Dead
Self
2010
This Man's Life
Richard Crummly
2008
Repo! The Genetic Opera
2006
Portrait: The Making of Henry
Self
2005
Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats
Himself
2005
Chasing Ghosts
Mark Spencer
2005
The Eliminator
2004
The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinity
Colonel Beckett
2002
Newsbreak
John McNamara
2000
Meet Wally Sparks
Michael Rooker
1997
Bastard Out of Carolina
Uncle Earle
1996
Johnny and Clyde
Frank Tennant
1995
Above the Law
Man in Bar
1988
Rent-a-Cop
Joe
1987
Pig Village
Steve
Creature Commandos
Sam (voice) · (1 episode)
2024
What If...?
Yondu (voice) · (2 episodes)
2021
What If...?
Yondu Udonta (voice) · (1 episode)
2021
Marvel Studios Legends
Yondu Udonta (archive footage) (uncredited) · (6 episodes)
2021
Dead Talk Live
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2020
Creepshow
Beau · (1 episode)
2019
The Righteous Gemstones
Cobb Milsap · (4 episodes)
2019
The Rookie
Frank Teska · (2 episodes)
2018
SEAL Team
Big Chief · (1 episode)
2017
Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed
Self · (8 episodes)
2016
Ride with Norman Reedus
Self · (2 episodes)
2016
CelebriD&D
Arnold · (1 episode)
2015
True Detective
Edward Hoyt · (1 episode)
2014
Talking Dead
Self · (1 episode)
2011
The Walking Dead
Merle Dixon · (19 episodes)
2010
Archer
Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (voice) · (1 episode)
2009
Meteor
Calvin Stark · (2 episodes)
2009
Chuck
Mauser · (1 episode)
2007
Burn Notice
Dale Lawson · (1 episode)
2007
Shark
(1 episode)
2006
Psych
Garth Lawnmore · (1 episode)
2006
Thief
Detective John Hayes · (6 episodes)
2006
Criminal Minds
Chief Carlson · (1 episode)
2005
Las Vegas
(1 episode)
2003
Tremors
Kinney · (1 episode)
2003
CSI: Miami
Marty Jones · (1 episode)
2002
Crossing Jordan
Shawn Curaco · (1 episode)
2001
Stargate SG-1
Colonel Edwards · (1 episode)
1997
The Outer Limits
Colonel Beckett · (1 episode)
1995
Fallen Angels
Babe McCloor · (1 episode)
1993
Law & Order
Jamie Yost · (1 episode)
1990
Gideon Oliver
Detective John Quinn · (1 episode)
1989
Crime Story
Lieutenant · (2 episodes)
1986
The Equalizer
Bill Whitaker · (1 episode)
1985