Wikipedia / Michael Rooker
Wikipedia / Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955) is an American 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), along with the TV series Peacemaker.
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.
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 | Fantasporto Award for Best ActorGolden Space Needle Award for Best ActorNominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead | ||
1987 | Oogie | ||
Joe | |||
1988 | Man in bar | ||
Frank Bailey | |||
1989 | Terry Cruger | ||
Karchy Laszlo | |||
1990 | Rowdy Burns | ||
1991 | Bill Broussard | ||
1993 | |||
Ranger Hal Tucker | |||
1994 | Suspicious | Attendant | Short film |
Jonah Mantz | |||
1995 | Jared Svenning | ||
1996 | Uncle Earle | ||
Gary | |||
1997 | Song of Hiawatha | Bertrand | |
Sheriff Walker | |||
Keith Michaels | |||
Kennesaw | |||
Father Vassey | |||
1998 | Detective Stan "Zeedo" Zedkov | ||
Fritz Brown | Also associate producer | ||
Matt Cooper | |||
1999 | A Table for One | Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan | Also co-executive producer |
Captain Howard Cheney | |||
2000 | Table One | Rowdy | |
Malcolm Arnold | |||
NewsBreak | John McNamara | ||
Robert Marshall | |||
2001 | Detective Jake Riley | ||
2002 | Captain A.J. Mercker | ||
2003 | Detective Stafford | ||
2004 | Miles Dawson | ||
2005 | Mark Spencer | ||
2006 | Repo! The Genetic Opera | Repo Man | Unreleased short film |
Lenexa, 1 Mile | Russ | ||
Grant Grant | |||
2007 | Sidney | ||
2008 | Randolph County Sheriff | ||
William Rice | |||
This Man's Life | Richard Crummly | Short film | |
2009 | Judge / Dark Winged Vesper | ||
Mann | |||
Church | Direct-to-DVD | ||
2010 | Scott's Dead | Mitch | Short film |
Defense Attorney Billy Watkins | |||
Ray Clement | |||
Red Doc | Voice, short film | ||
Pat McMurphy | |||
Abe | |||
2011 | Atlantis Down | Father / Alien | |
Captain McCarthy | |||
Elwood | Condello | Short film | |
2012 | The Lost Episode | Chris / Dr. Death | Also director |
Ray Pelletier | |||
2013 | Brother's Keeper | Chief Carver | |
2014 | |||
2016 | Bud Melks | ||
2017 | Yondu Udonta | Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
2019 | Pat McMurphy | ||
The Big T | Cameo | ||
2020 | Damon | ||
Clyde | |||
2021 | Buddy | ||
Lutador | Voice | ||
2022 | Overseer Warden Devlin | ||
Gabriel Tancredi | |||
2023 | Yondu Udonta | Cameo | |
Agent Oldham | |||
2024 | Sgt. Major Riordan | ||
2025 | Superman Robot 1 | Voice |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Source |
1986 | Lieutenant | Episode: "Pilot" | ||
1988 | Bill Whitaker | Episode: "No Place Like Home" | ||
1989 | Det. John Quinn | Episode: "Sleep Well, Professor Oliver" | ||
The Edge | Deputy Sheriff | Television film | ||
Bosko | Television film | |||
1990 | Equal Justice | Wallace "Wally" Dalton | Episode: "Sugar Blues" | |
1992 | Casey "Z" Zankowski | Television film | ||
1995 | Babe McCloor | Episode: "Fly Paper" | ||
Johnny & Clyde | Frank Tennant | Television film | ||
1996 | Bob Malone | Television film | ||
2001 | Col. Beckett | Episode: "Patient Zero" | ||
Hostage Rescue Team | Special Agent Nicholas Roberts | Pilot | ||
2002 | Major Quantrell | Episode: "Firewall" | ||
2003 | Kinney | Episode: "Hit and Run" | ||
Gibby | Episode: "Savant" | |||
Col. Edwards | Episode: "Enemy Mine" | |||
Marty Jones | Episode: "Dead Zone" | |||
On Thin Ice | Hopkins | Television film | ||
Col. Curry | Television film | |||
2004 | Capt. Leary | Television film | ||
Marcus Wexler | Episode: "Degas Away with It" | |||
2005 | Don's Partner | Unaired pilot | ||
Capt. Jack Ramsey | Episode: "Heart of Darkness" | |||
2006 | Det. John Hayes | 5 episodes | ||
2007 | Shawn Curaco | Episode: "D.O.A." | ||
2008 | Jamie Yost | Episode: "Executioner" | ||
Oscar Riddick | Episode: "Bar Fight" | |||
Frank Mauser | Episode: "Chuck Versus Santa Claus" | |||
Humanzee! | Priest | Episode: "Pilot" | ||
Himself | Episode 6 | |||
2009 | Calvin Stark | 2 episodes | ||
Chief Carlson | Episode: "House on Fire" | |||
Garth Longmore | Episode: "Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark" | |||
2010 | Dale Lawson | Episode: "Guilty as Charged" | ||
Matadors | John Canterna | Pilot | ||
2010–2013 | 14 episodesSatellite Award for Best Cast – Television Series (2012) | |||
2012 | Outlaw Country | Larkin's Henchman | Television film | |
Sheriff E.Z. Ponder | Voice, episode: "Bloody Ferlin" | |||
Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed | Himself | Documentary | ||
2017 | Big Chief | Episode: "Tip of the Spear" | ||
Merle Dixon | Voice, episode: "The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking" | |||
2019 | Edward Hoyt | 2 episodes | ||
Eldred Jonas | Pilot | |||
2021–2024 | Voice, 3 episodes | |||
2021 | Beau | Episode: "Drug Traffic" | ||
2022 | Yondu Udonta | Voice, Disney+ special | ||
2023 | Frank Tesca | 2 episodes | ||
2024 | Sam Fitzgibbon | Voice, episode: "Cheers to the Tin Man" | ||
2025 | Cobb Milsap | 5 episodes | ||
Red St. Wild | 3 episodes |
Video games
Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
2004 | Centurion, Jack | ||
2011 | Himself | Appears in Call of the Dead | |
Rowdy Burns | |||
2012 | Vikke | ||
Mike Harper | Also motion capture | ||
2013 | |||
2023 | Touchdown | ||
2025 | Mike Harper | Also motion capture |
References
External links