Michael Rooker

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

141

Gender

Male

Birthday

1955-04-06 (70 years old)

Place of Birth

Jasper, Alabama, USA

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).

Known For

  • The Rookie

    The Rookie

  • Criminal Minds

    Criminal Minds

  • Law & Order

    Law & Order

  • The Walking Dead

    The Walking Dead

  • Superman

    Superman

  • Stargate SG-1

    Stargate SG-1

  • CSI: Miami

    CSI: Miami

  • True Detective

    True Detective

  • Psych

    Psych

  • SEAL Team

    SEAL Team

  • Peacemaker

    Peacemaker

  • Chuck

    Chuck

  • Archer

    Archer

  • Las Vegas

    Las Vegas

  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

  • Crossing Jordan

    Crossing Jordan

  • What If...?

    What If...?

  • What If...?

    What If...?

  • The Righteous Gemstones

    The Righteous Gemstones

  • The Suicide Squad

    The Suicide Squad

  • Burn Notice

    Burn Notice

  • The Equalizer

    The Equalizer

  • The Outer Limits

    The Outer Limits

  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

  • The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow

    The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow

  • Marvel Studios Legends

    Marvel Studios Legends

  • Creature Commandos

    Creature Commandos

  • Guardians of the Galaxy

    Guardians of the Galaxy

  • Shark

    Shark

  • Creepshow

    Creepshow

  • Undisputed

    Undisputed

  • Fantasy Island

    Fantasy Island

  • F9

    F9

  • Crime Story

    Crime Story

  • The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking

    The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking

  • Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

    Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

  • Jumper

    Jumper

  • Tombstone

    Tombstone

  • The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

    The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

  • Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2

    Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2

  • Cliffhanger

    Cliffhanger

  • Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats

    Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats

  • Fallen Angels

    Fallen Angels

  • Vivo

    Vivo

  • White Elephant

    White Elephant

  • Talking Dead

    Talking Dead

  • Love and Monsters

    Love and Monsters

  • Cell 213

    Cell 213

  • Slither

    Slither

  • Penance

    Penance

  • The Bone Collector

    The Bone Collector

  • Ride with Norman Reedus

    Ride with Norman Reedus

  • Pennhurst

    Pennhurst

  • Brightburn

    Brightburn

  • Tremors

    Tremors

  • The 6th Day

    The 6th Day

  • Corrective Measures

    Corrective Measures

  • JFK

    JFK

  • Hypothermia

    Hypothermia

  • Days of Thunder

    Days of Thunder

  • Above the Law

    Above the Law

  • Matadors

    Matadors

  • Humanzee!

    Humanzee!

  • Clerk

    Clerk

  • Replicant

    Replicant

  • Louis

    Louis

  • Super

    Super

  • Mississippi Burning

    Mississippi Burning

  • Newsbreak

    Newsbreak

  • Atlantis Down

    Atlantis Down

  • Rogue River

    Rogue River

  • Mallrats

    Mallrats

  • Meteor

    Meteor

  • Sea of Love

    Sea of Love

  • The Box

    The Box

  • Table One

    Table One

  • Mysteria

    Mysteria

  • Skeleton Man

    Skeleton Man

  • The Sparrows Are Flying Again! - The Making of the Dark Half

    The Sparrows Are Flying Again! - The Making of the Dark Half

  • Wicked Ways

    Wicked Ways

  • Rosewood

    Rosewood

  • Deceiver

    Deceiver

  • Music Box

    Music Box

  • The Marine 2

    The Marine 2

  • The Replacement Killers

    The Replacement Killers

  • Super Capers

    Super Capers

  • Shadow Builder

    Shadow Builder

  • Bolden

    Bolden

  • The Out-Laws

    The Out-Laws

  • Retreads

    Retreads

  • The Edge

    The Edge

  • Renegade Force

    Renegade Force

  • The Belko Experiment

    The Belko Experiment

  • Whisper

    Whisper

  • Afterburn

    Afterburn

  • Thief

    Thief

  • Bastard Out of Carolina

    Bastard Out of Carolina

  • DC Showcase: Jonah Hex

    DC Showcase: Jonah Hex

  • The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder

    The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder

  • Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR

    Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR

  • The Making of The Walking Dead

    The Making of The Walking Dead

  • Keys to Tulsa

    Keys to Tulsa

  • Gideon Oliver

    Gideon Oliver

  • Eight Men Out

    Eight Men Out

  • Light of Day

    Light of Day

  • Meet Wally Sparks

    Meet Wally Sparks

  • Brown's Requiem

    Brown's Requiem

  • The Dark Half

    The Dark Half

  • On Thin Ice

    On Thin Ice

  • Pig Village

    Pig Village

  • L.A. Takedown

    L.A. Takedown

  • DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection

    DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection

  • Here on Earth

    Here on Earth

  • Song of Hiawatha

    Song of Hiawatha

  • Back to Back

    Back to Back

  • Brother's Keeper

    Brother's Keeper

  • Life After Flash

    Life After Flash

  • Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed

    Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed

  • Chasing Ghosts

    Chasing Ghosts

  • Dead Talk Live

    Dead Talk Live

  • The Hard Truth

    The Hard Truth

  • The Trigger Effect

    The Trigger Effect

  • Blood Done Sign My Name

    Blood Done Sign My Name

  • Rent-a-Cop

    Rent-a-Cop

  • Saving Jessica Lynch

    Saving Jessica Lynch

  • The Dark Tower

    The Dark Tower

  • CelebriD&D

    CelebriD&D

  • Repo! The Genetic Opera

    Repo! The Genetic Opera

  • Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

    Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

  • Johnny and Clyde

    Johnny and Clyde

  • This Man's Life

    This Man's Life

  • Lenexa, 1 Mile

    Lenexa, 1 Mile

  • Road Rage

    Road Rage

  • The Eliminator

    The Eliminator

  • Portrait: The Making of Henry

    Portrait: The Making of Henry

  • Freeway Killer

    Freeway Killer

  • Guide to the Galaxy with James Gunn

    Guide to the Galaxy with James Gunn

  • Elwood

    Elwood

  • The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinity

    The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinity

  • Suspicious

    Suspicious

  • The Driving Dead

    The Driving Dead