Michael Rooker

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

143

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

  • Superman

    Superman

  • Peacemaker

    Peacemaker

  • Criminal Minds

    Criminal Minds

  • Law & Order

    Law & Order

  • The Walking Dead

    The Walking Dead

  • CSI: Miami

    CSI: Miami

  • Stargate SG-1

    Stargate SG-1

  • True Detective

    True Detective

  • Archer

    Archer

  • Psych

    Psych

  • SEAL Team

    SEAL Team

  • Crossing Jordan

    Crossing Jordan

  • Chuck

    Chuck

  • Burn Notice

    Burn Notice

  • Fast X

    Fast X

  • Las Vegas

    Las Vegas

  • What If...?

    What If...?

  • What If...?

    What If...?

  • The Suicide Squad

    The Suicide Squad

  • The Equalizer

    The Equalizer

  • The Outer Limits

    The Outer Limits

  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

  • The Righteous Gemstones

    The Righteous Gemstones

  • Creature Commandos

    Creature Commandos

  • Marvel Studios Legends

    Marvel Studios Legends

  • Creepshow

    Creepshow

  • Guardians of the Galaxy

    Guardians of the Galaxy

  • Shark

    Shark

  • F9

    F9

  • Talking Dead

    Talking Dead

  • Fallen Angels

    Fallen Angels

  • Crime Story

    Crime Story

  • Undisputed

    Undisputed

  • The Belko Experiment

    The Belko Experiment

  • Tombstone

    Tombstone

  • The Bone Collector

    The Bone Collector

  • Days of Thunder

    Days of Thunder

  • Jumper

    Jumper

  • Mississippi Burning

    Mississippi Burning

  • Love and Monsters

    Love and Monsters

  • JFK

    JFK

  • Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR

    Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR

  • The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

    The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

  • Rogue River

    Rogue River

  • Atlantis Down

    Atlantis Down

  • On Thin Ice

    On Thin Ice

  • Cliffhanger

    Cliffhanger

  • Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2

    Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2

  • The 6th Day

    The 6th Day

  • Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

    Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

  • Replicant

    Replicant

  • Cell 213

    Cell 213

  • Tremors

    Tremors

  • Eight Men Out

    Eight Men Out

  • Brightburn

    Brightburn

  • Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

    Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

  • Fantasy Island

    Fantasy Island

  • Ride with Norman Reedus

    Ride with Norman Reedus

  • Mallrats

    Mallrats

  • Skeleton Man

    Skeleton Man

  • Rosewood

    Rosewood

  • Blood Done Sign My Name

    Blood Done Sign My Name

  • Meet Wally Sparks

    Meet Wally Sparks

  • Super

    Super

  • L.A. Takedown

    L.A. Takedown

  • Above the Law

    Above the Law

  • Table for One

    Table for One

  • The Marine 2

    The Marine 2

  • Brown's Requiem

    Brown's Requiem

  • The Making of The Walking Dead

    The Making of The Walking Dead

  • White Elephant

    White Elephant

  • Slither

    Slither

  • The Dark Half

    The Dark Half

  • The Edge

    The Edge

  • Humanzee!

    Humanzee!

  • Light of Day

    Light of Day

  • Penance

    Penance

  • Clerk

    Clerk

  • Vivo

    Vivo

  • Sea of Love

    Sea of Love

  • Pig Village

    Pig Village

  • The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder

    The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder

  • Corrective Measures

    Corrective Measures

  • Louis

    Louis

  • The Replacement Killers

    The Replacement Killers

  • Repo! The Genetic Opera

    Repo! The Genetic Opera

  • Lenexa, 1 Mile

    Lenexa, 1 Mile

  • Whisper

    Whisper

  • Keys to Tulsa

    Keys to Tulsa

  • Meteor

    Meteor

  • Rent-a-Cop

    Rent-a-Cop

  • Bolden

    Bolden

  • Wicked Ways

    Wicked Ways

  • American Yakuza II

    American Yakuza II

  • Saving Jessica Lynch

    Saving Jessica Lynch

  • Deceiver

    Deceiver

  • Hypothermia

    Hypothermia

  • The Hard Truth

    The Hard Truth

  • Song of Hiawatha

    Song of Hiawatha

  • Pennhurst

    Pennhurst

  • Music Box

    Music Box

  • The Dark Tower

    The Dark Tower

  • Thief

    Thief

  • The Out-Laws

    The Out-Laws

  • DC Showcase: Jonah Hex

    DC Showcase: Jonah Hex

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

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

  • Brother's Keeper

    Brother's Keeper

  • CelebriD&D

    CelebriD&D

  • Bastard Out of Carolina

    Bastard Out of Carolina

  • Here on Earth

    Here on Earth

  • The Eliminator

    The Eliminator

  • Dead Talk Live

    Dead Talk Live

  • Chasing Ghosts

    Chasing Ghosts

  • Afterburn

    Afterburn

  • Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed

    Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed

  • Mysteria

    Mysteria

  • Renegade Force

    Renegade Force

  • The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow

    The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow

  • The Box

    The Box

  • Super Capers

    Super Capers

  • Gideon Oliver

    Gideon Oliver

  • Matadors

    Matadors

  • The Trigger Effect

    The Trigger Effect

  • DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection

    DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection

  • Shadow Builder

    Shadow Builder

  • Newsbreak

    Newsbreak

  • Johnny and Clyde

    Johnny and Clyde

  • Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats

    Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats

  • Guide to the Galaxy with James Gunn

    Guide to the Galaxy with James Gunn

  • Retreads

    Retreads

  • Table One

    Table One

  • This Man's Life

    This Man's Life

  • Life After Flash

    Life After Flash

  • Suspicious

    Suspicious

  • Elwood

    Elwood

  • Freeway Killer

    Freeway Killer

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

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

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

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

  • The Driving Dead

    The Driving Dead

  • Road Rage

    Road Rage

  • Portrait: The Making of Henry

    Portrait: The Making of Henry