Michael Rooker
Biography
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).
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Full filmography
- The Rookie (2018) as Frank Teska
- Law & Order (1990) as Jamie Yost
- Criminal Minds (2005) as Chief Carlson
- The Walking Dead (2010) as Merle Dixon
- Stargate SG-1 (1997) as Colonel Edwards
- CSI: Miami (2002) as Marty Jones
- Crossing Jordan (2001) as Shawn Curaco
- Psych (2006) as Garth Lawnmore
- SEAL Team (2017) as Big Chief
- True Detective (2014) as Edward Hoyt
- Peacemaker (2022) as Red St. Wild
- Superman (2025) as Superman Robot #1 (voice)
- Las Vegas (2003) as Marcus Wexler
- Burn Notice (2007) as Dale Lawson
- What If...? (2021) as Yondu (voice)
- What If...? (2021) as Yondu Udonta (voice)
- Chuck (2007) as Mauser
- Archer (2009) as Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (voice)
- The Equalizer (1985) as Bill Whitaker
- The Outer Limits (1995) as Colonel Beckett
- The Righteous Gemstones (2019) as Cobb Milsap
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) as Yondu
- Marvel Studios Legends (2021) as Yondu Udonta (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Shark (2006) as Oscar Riddick