Michael Rooker

Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955)

Career

Rooker made his film debut in 1986, playing the title role in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, based on the confessions of serial killer Henry Lee Lucas. He was acting in a play when the play's director, who was going to do the prosthetics for Henry, told him about the role. Rooker did not care if the script was good or bad; he just wanted to act in a film as it would "challenge" him. Henry was a critical success and Rooker received more film roles.

He was given more dramatic roles in films such as Eight Men Out, Mississippi Burning, and JFK, but he became widely known for his roles in action and thriller films such as Sea of Love, Days of Thunder, Cliffhanger, and Tombstone. He also starred in Mallrats, Rosewood, The 6th Day, Slither, Jumper, Super and Hypothermia.

In June 2010, Rooker revealed via Twitter that he was to appear in the AMC television series The Walking Dead as Merle Dixon, one of the survivors of a zombie apocalypse. He guest-starred in two episodes of the first season and one of the second season before becoming a series regular for the third season.

Rooker is also known for his roles in video games, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops (where he played himself), Mike Harper in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 in November 2012, and as Merle in The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, the video game based on the television series.

He played Yondu Udonta in the Marvel Studios film Guardians of the Galaxy, directed by James Gunn, and reprised the role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) as well as The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022). In 2021 he appeared in the action film F9, directed by Justin Lin. In 2025 he appeared in five episodes of the TV series The Righteous Gemstones .

Personal life Rooker lives in California with his wife Margot. They married in 1979 and have two daughters, Alynne and Gillian. He practices the Kyokushin style of karate.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1986 Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Henry Fantasporto Award for Best ActorGolden Space Needle Award for Best ActorNominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead 1987 Light of Day Oogie Rent-A-Cop Joe 1988 Above the Law Man in bar Eight Men Out Arnold "Chick" Gandil Mississippi Burning Frank Bailey 1989 Sea of Love Terry Cruger Music Box Karchy Laszlo 1990 Days of Thunder Rowdy Burns 1991 JFK Bill Broussard 1993 The Dark Half Sheriff Alan Pangborn Cliffhanger Ranger Hal Tucker Tombstone Sherman McMasters 1994 Suspicious Attendant Short film The Hard Truth Jonah Mantz 1995 Mallrats Jared Svenning 1996 Bastard Out of Carolina Uncle Earle The Trigger Effect Gary 1997 Song of Hiawatha Bertrand Rosewood Sheriff Walker Keys to Tulsa Keith Michaels Deceiver Kennesaw Shadow Builder Father Vassey 1998 The Replacement Killers Detective Stan "Zeedo" Zedkov Brown's Requiem Fritz Brown Also associate producer Renegade Force Matt Cooper 1999 A Table for One Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan Also co-executive producer Captain Howard Cheney 2000 Table One Rowdy Here on Earth Malcolm Arnold NewsBreak John McNamara The 6th Day Robert Marshall 2001 Replicant Detective Jake Riley 2002 Undisputed Captain A.J. Mercker 2003 The Box Detective Stafford 2004 The Eliminator Miles Dawson 2005 Chasing Ghosts Mark Spencer 2006 Repo! The Genetic Opera Repo Man Unreleased short film Lenexa, 1 Mile Russ Slither Grant Grant 2007 Whisper Sidney 2008 The Lena Baker Story Randolph County Sheriff Jumper William Rice This Man's Life Richard Crummly Short film 2009 Super Capers Judge / Dark Winged Vesper Penance Mann The Marine 2 Church Direct-to-DVD 2010 Scott's Dead Mitch Short film Freeway Killer Detective St. John Blood Done Sign My Name Defense Attorney Billy Watkins Cell 213 Ray Clement DC Showcase: Jonah Hex Red Doc Voice, short film Louis Pat McMurphy Super Abe 2011 Atlantis Down Father / Alien Mysteria Captain McCarthy Elwood Condello Short film 2012 The Lost Episode Chris / Dr. Death Also director Hypothermia Ray Pelletier 2013 Brother's Keeper Chief Carver 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy Yondu Udonta 2016 The Belko Experiment Bud Melks 2017 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Yondu Udonta Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor 2019 Bolden Pat McMurphy Brightburn The Big T Cameo 2020 Fantasy Island Damon Love and Monsters Clyde 2021 F9 Buddy The Suicide Squad Brian Durlin / Savant Vivo Lutador Voice 2022 Corrective Measures Overseer Warden Devlin White Elephant Gabriel Tancredi 2023 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Yondu Udonta Cameo The Out-Laws Agent Oldham 2024 Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 Sgt. Major Riordan Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 2025 Superman Superman Robot 1 Voice

Television Year Title Role Notes Source 1986 Crime Story Lieutenant Episode: "Pilot" 1988 The Equalizer Bill Whitaker Episode: "No Place Like Home" 1989 Gideon Oliver Det. John Quinn Episode: "Sleep Well, Professor Oliver" The Edge Deputy Sheriff Television film L.A. Takedown Bosko Television film 1990 Equal Justice Wallace "Wally" Dalton Episode: "Sugar Blues" 1992 Afterburn Casey "Z" Zankowski Television film 1995 Fallen Angels Babe McCloor Episode: "Fly Paper" Johnny & Clyde Frank Tennant Television film 1996 Back to Back Bob Malone Television film 2001 Col. Beckett Episode: "Patient Zero" Hostage Rescue Team Special Agent Nicholas Roberts Pilot 2002 Jeremiah Major Quantrell Episode: "Firewall" 2003 Tremors Kinney Episode: "Hit and Run" Lucky Gibby Episode: "Savant" Stargate SG-1 Col. Edwards Episode: "Enemy Mine" CSI: Miami Marty Jones Episode: "Dead Zone" On Thin Ice Hopkins Television film Saving Jessica Lynch Col. Curry Television film 2004 Skeleton Man Capt. Leary Television film Las Vegas Marcus Wexler Episode: "Degas Away with It" 2005 Numb3rs Don's Partner Unaired pilot JAG Capt. Jack Ramsey Episode: "Heart of Darkness" 2006 Thief Det. John Hayes 5 episodes 2007 Crossing Jordan Shawn Curaco Episode: "D.O.A." 2008 Law & Order Jamie Yost Episode: "Executioner" Shark Oscar Riddick Episode: "Bar Fight" Chuck Frank Mauser Episode: "Chuck Versus Santa Claus" Humanzee! Priest Episode: "Pilot" Scream Queens Himself Episode 6 2009 Meteor Calvin Stark 2 episodes Criminal Minds Chief Carlson Episode: "House on Fire" Psych Garth Longmore Episode: "Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark" 2010 Burn Notice Dale Lawson Episode: "Guilty as Charged" Matadors John Canterna Pilot 2010–2013 The Walking Dead Merle Dixon 14 episodesSatellite Award for Best Cast – Television Series (2012) 2012 Outlaw Country Larkin's Henchman Television film Archer Sheriff E.Z. Ponder Voice, episode: "Bloody Ferlin" Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed Himself Documentary 2017 SEAL Team Big Chief Episode: "Tip of the Spear" Robot Chicken Merle Dixon Voice, episode: "The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking"2019 True Detective Edward Hoyt 2 episodes The Dark Tower Eldred Jonas Pilot 2021–2024 What If...? Yondu Udonta Voice, 3 episodes 2021 Creepshow Beau Episode: "Drug Traffic" 2022 The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Yondu Udonta Voice, Disney+ special 2023 The Rookie Frank Tesca 2 episodes 2024 Creature Commandos Sam Fitzgibbon Voice, episode: "Cheers to the Tin Man"2025The Righteous GemstonesCobb Milsap5 episodesPeacemaker Red St. Wild3 episodes Video games