b. 1955 · Jasper, Alabama, USA
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).
Born 6 Apr 1955
Superman
2025
Superman Robot #1 (voice)
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
2024
Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
2024
Sgt. Major Riordan
Creature Commandos
2024
Sam (voice)
The Out-Laws
2023
Agent Oldham
White Elephant
2022
Gabriel Tancredi
Corrective Measures
2022
Warden Devlin
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
2022
Yondu
Vivo
2021
Lutador (voice)
F9
2021
Buddy
The Suicide Squad
2021
Savant
Marvel Studios Legends
2021
Yondu Udonta (archive footage) (uncredited)