Michael Rooker

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955)<ref name=tvg /> is an American actor and voice actor. 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), and its sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017). 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 Howard Cheney in The Bone Collector (1999), 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Template:Expand section 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Henry was a critical success and Rooker received more film roles.

File:Michael Rooker by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg

Rooker in 2024

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,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Tombstone.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also starred in Mallrats, Rosewood, The 6th Day, Slither, Jumper, Super<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Hypothermia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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,<ref name="GotG">Template:Cite web</ref> and reprised the role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as well as The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022). In 2021 he appeared in the action film F9, directed by Justin Lin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name=tvg>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

File:Michael Rooker by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg

Rooker at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con, in character as Yondu from Guardians of the Galaxy

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
	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
	Template:Sortname	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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	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	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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	Template:Sortname	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"
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 episodes Satellite Award for Best Cast – Television Series (2012)
2012	Outlaw Country	Larkin's Henchman	Television film
	Archer	Sheriff E.Z. Ponder	Voice, episode: "Bloody Ferlin"
Template:Dts	Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed	Himself	Documentary	<ref name="unlocked amazon">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="unlocked cast">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="unlocked slash">Template:Cite web</ref>
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"
2025	The Righteous Gemstones	Cobb Milsap	5 episodes
	Peacemaker	Red St. Wild	3 episodes

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
	Days of Thunder	Rowdy Burns
2012	Lollipop Chainsaw	Vikke
	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
2025	Call of Duty: Black Ops 7	Mike Harper	Also motion capture

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:IMDb name