# Michael Rooker

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).

## Early life

Rooker was born in Jasper, Alabama. He has nine brothers and sisters. His parents divorced when he was 13, and he moved with his mother and siblings to Chicago, where he attended Wells Community Academy High School and studied at the Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University.

## 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.

## Personal life

Rooker lives in California with his wife Margot. They married in 1979 and have two daughters. 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 Actor Golden Space Needle Award for Best Actor Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead |
| 1987 | Light of Day | Oogie | |
| 1987 | Rent-A-Cop | Joe | |
| 1988 | Above the Law | Man in bar | |
| 1988 | Eight Men Out | Arnold "Chick" Gandil | |
| 1988 | Mississippi Burning | Frank Bailey | |
| 1989 | Sea of Love | Terry Cruger | |
| 1989 | Music Box | Karchy Laszlo | |
| 1990 | Days of Thunder | Rowdy Burns | |
| 1991 | JFK | Bill Broussard | |
| 1993 | The Dark Half | Sheriff Alan Pangborn | |
| 1993 | Cliffhanger | Ranger Hal Tucker | |
| 1993 | Tombstone | Sherman McMasters | |
| 1994 | Suspicious | Attendant | Short film |
| 1994 | The Hard Truth | Jonah Mantz | |
| 1995 | Mallrats | Jared Svenning | |
| 1996 | Bastard Out of Carolina | Uncle Earle | |
| 1996 | The Trigger Effect | Gary | |
| 1997 | Song of Hiawatha | Bertrand | |
| 1997 | Rosewood | Sheriff Walker | |
| 1997 | Keys to Tulsa | Keith Michaels | |
| 1997 | Deceiver | Kennesaw | |
| 1997 | Shadow Builder | Father Vassey | |
| 1998 | The Replacement Killers | Detective Stan "Zeedo" Zedkov | |
| 1998 | Brown's Requiem | Fritz Brown | Also associate producer |
| 1998 | Renegade Force | Matt Cooper | |
| 1999 | A Table for One | Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan | Also co-executive producer |
| 1999 | The Bone Collector | Captain Howard Cheney | |
| 2000 | Table One | Rowdy | |
| 2000 | Here on Earth | Malcolm Arnold | |
| 2000 | NewsBreak | John McNamara | |
| 2000 | 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 |
| 2006 | Lenexa, 1 Mile | Russ | |
| 2006 | Slither | Grant Grant | |
| 2007 | Whisper | Sidney | |
| 2008 | The Lena Baker Story | Randolph County Sheriff | |
| 2008 | Jumper | William Rice | |
| 2008 | This Man's Life | Richard Crummly | Short film |
| 2009 | Super Capers | Judge / Dark Winged Vesper | |
| 2009 | Penance | Mann | |
| 2009 | The Marine 2 | Church | Direct-to-DVD |
| 2010 | Scott's Dead | Mitch | Short film |
| 2010 | Freeway Killer | Detective St. John | |
| 2010 | Blood Done Sign My Name | Defense Attorney Billy Watkins | |
| 2010 | Cell 213 | Ray Clement | |
| 2010 | DC Showcase: Jonah Hex | Red Doc | Voice, short film |
| 2010 | Louis | Pat McMurphy | |
| 2010 | Super | Abe | |
| 2011 | Atlantis Down | Father / Alien | |
| 2011 | Mysteria | Captain McCarthy | |
| 2011 | Elwood | Condello | Short film |
| 2012 | The Lost Episode | Chris / Dr. Death | Also director |
| 2012 | 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 | |
| 2019 | Brightburn | The Big T | Cameo |
| 2020 | Fantasy Island | Damon | |
| 2020 | Love and Monsters | Clyde | |
| 2021 | F9 | Buddy | |
| 2021 | The Suicide Squad | Brian Durlin / Savant | |
| 2021 | Vivo | Lutador | Voice |
| 2022 | Corrective Measures | Overseer Warden Devlin | |
| 2022 | White Elephant | Gabriel Tancredi | |
| 2023 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Yondu Udonta | Cameo |
| 2023 | The Out-Laws | Agent Oldham | |
| 2024 | Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 | Sgt. Major Riordan | |
| 2024 | Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 | Sgt. Major Riordan | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 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" |
| 1989 | The Edge | Deputy Sheriff | Television film |
| 1989 | 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" |
| 1995 | Johnny & Clyde | Frank Tennant | Television film |
| 1996 | Back to Back | Bob Malone | Television film |
| 2001 | The Outer Limits | Col. Beckett | Episode: "Patient Zero" |
| 2001 | Hostage Rescue Team | Special Agent Nicholas Roberts | Pilot |
| 2002 | Jeremiah | Major Quantrell | Episode: "Firewall" |
| 2003 | Tremors | Kinney | Episode: "Hit and Run" |
| 2003 | Lucky | Gibby | Episode: "Savant" |
| 2003 | Stargate SG-1 | Col. Edwards | Episode: "Enemy Mine" |
| 2003 | CSI: Miami | Marty Jones | Episode: "Dead Zone" |
| 2003 | On Thin Ice | Hopkins | Television film |
| 2003 | Saving Jessica Lynch | Col. Curry | Television film |
| 2004 | Skeleton Man | Capt. Leary | Television film |
| 2004 | Las Vegas | Marcus Wexler | Episode: "Degas Away with It" |
| 2005 | Numb3rs | Don's Partner | Unaired pilot |
| 2005 | 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" |
| 2008 | Shark | Oscar Riddick | Episode: "Bar Fight" |
| 2008 | Chuck | Frank Mauser | Episode: "Chuck Versus Santa Claus" |
| 2008 | Humanzee! | Priest | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2009 | Meteor | Calvin Stark | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | Criminal Minds | Chief Carlson | Episode: "House on Fire" |
| 2009 | Psych | Garth Longmore | Episode: "Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark" |
| 2010 | Burn Notice | Dale Lawson | Episode: "Guilty as Charged" |
| 2010 | Matadors | John Canterna | Pilot |
| 2010–2013 | The Walking Dead | Merle Dixon | 14 episodes Satellite Award for Best Cast – Television Series (2012) |
| 2012 | Outlaw Country | Larkin's Henchman | Television film |
| 2012 | Archer | Sheriff E.Z. Ponder | Voice, episode: "Bloody Ferlin" |
| 2016 | Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed | Himself | Documentary |
| 2017 | SEAL Team | Big Chief | Episode: "Tip of the Spear" |
| 2017 | Robot Chicken | Merle Dixon | Voice, episode: "The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking" |
| 2019 | True Detective | Edward Hoyt | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | 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" |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
| 2004 | The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay | Centurion, Jack | |
| 2011 | Call of Duty: Black Ops | Himself | Appears in Call of the Dead |
| 2011 | Days of Thunder | Rowdy Burns | |
| 2012 | Lollipop Chainsaw | Vikke | |
| 2012 | Call of Duty: Black Ops II | Mike Harper | Also motion capture |
| 2013 | The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct | Merle Dixon | |
| 2023 | Crime Boss: Rockay City | Touchdown | |