Directed credits
1
Emerging
Beginning to build directing work.
Director
Michael Rooker
Acting
Career Snapshot
ExplainedThese indicators come from TMDB. They are relative signals, not review ratings.
TMDB popularity
2.9
Moderate attention
TMDB internal trend index. Higher usually means more searches and page activity now.
Directed movies: 1Directed series: 0All crew credits: 3
TMDB ID: 12132
IMDb ID: nm0740264
Known for: Acting
Born: April 6, 1955
Age: 70
Place of birth: Jasper, Alabama, USA
Gender: Male
Adult content flag: No
Career span: 1985 - 2025
Years active: 41
Average TMDB rating: 6.6
Wikidata: Q525065
Also known as
마이클 루커 • مایکل روکر
Frequent jobs
Director (1)Associate Producer (1)Co-Executive Producer (1)
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).
Photos
Movies
Directed Movies
Movies directed by Michael Rooker.
Movies
Top Rated Movies
Highest rated movies linked with Michael Rooker.
7.9
Guardians of the Galaxy
as Yondu Udonta
2014 Movie
7.9
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
as Yondu
2023 Movie
7.8
The Making of The Walking Dead
as Self
2010 Movie
7.7
Mississippi Burning
as Frank Bailey
1988 Movie
7.6
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
as Yondu
2017 Movie
7.6
JFK
as Bill Broussard
1991 Movie
7.6
Tombstone
as Sherman McMasters
1993 Movie
7.5
The Suicide Squad
as Savant
2021 Movie
7.4
Superman
as Superman Robot #1 (voice)
2025 Movie
7.3
Love and Monsters
as Clyde
2020 Movie
7.3
Vivo
as Lutador (voice)
2021 Movie
7.1
Music Box
as Karchy Laszlo
1989 Movie
Series
Top Rated Series
Highest rated series linked with Michael Rooker.
8.5
The Rookie
as Frank Teska • 2 eps
2018 Series
8.3
Criminal Minds
as Chief Carlson • 1 eps
2005 Series
8.3
True Detective
as Edward Hoyt • 1 eps
2014 Series
8.3
Stargate SG-1
as Colonel Edwards • 1 eps
1997 Series
8.2
Peacemaker
as Red St. Wild • 3 eps
2022 Series
8.1
The Walking Dead
as Merle Dixon • 19 eps
2010 Series
8.1
What If...?
as Yondu (voice) • 2 eps
2021 Series
8.0
SEAL Team
as Big Chief • 1 eps
2017 Series
8.0
Archer
as Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (voice) • 1 eps
2009 Series
7.9
Psych
as Garth Lawnmore • 1 eps
2006 Series
7.8
Creature Commandos
as Sam (voice) • 1 eps
2024 Series
7.7
Chuck
as Mauser • 1 eps
2007 Series
Movies
Most Popular Movies
Most viewed movie titles linked with Michael Rooker.
7.4
Superman
as Superman Robot #1 (voice)
2025 Movie
7.9
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
as Yondu
2023 Movie
7.6
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
as Yondu
2017 Movie
7.5
The Suicide Squad
as Savant
2021 Movie
7.9
Guardians of the Galaxy
as Yondu Udonta
2014 Movie
7.0
F9
as Buddy
2021 Movie
7.6
Tombstone
as Sherman McMasters
1993 Movie
6.5
Undisputed
as A.J. Mercker
2002 Movie
7.1
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
as Yondu
2022 Movie
6.2
Jumper
as William Rice
2008 Movie
Series
Most Popular Series
Most viewed series linked with Michael Rooker.
8.5
The Rookie
as Frank Teska • 2 eps
2018 Series
7.3
Law & Order
as Jamie Yost • 1 eps
1990 Series
8.3
Criminal Minds
as Chief Carlson • 1 eps
2005 Series
8.1
The Walking Dead
as Merle Dixon • 19 eps
2010 Series
8.3
Stargate SG-1
as Colonel Edwards • 1 eps
1997 Series
8.3
True Detective
as Edward Hoyt • 1 eps
2014 Series
7.7
CSI: Miami
as Marty Jones • 1 eps
2002 Series
7.9
Psych
as Garth Lawnmore • 1 eps
2006 Series
8.0
SEAL Team
as Big Chief • 1 eps
2017 Series
8.0
Archer
as Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (voice) • 1 eps
2009 Series
8.1
What If...?
as Yondu (voice) • 2 eps
2021 Series
7.0
Las Vegas
as Marcus Wexler • 1 eps
2003 Series
Movies
Other Crew Work in Movies
Additional movie credits for Michael Rooker.
Movies
Acting Appearances in Movies
Movie cast credits for Michael Rooker.
7.4
Superman
as Superman Robot #1 (voice)
2025 Movie
7.9
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
as Sgt. Major Riordan
2024 Movie
6.8
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
as Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan
2024 Movie
6.0
The Out-Laws
as Agent Oldham
2023 Movie
7.9
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
as Yondu
2023 Movie
7.1
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
as Yondu
2022 Movie
5.8
White Elephant
as Gabriel Tancredi
2022 Movie
5.0
Corrective Measures
as Warden Devlin
2022 Movie
7.3
Vivo
as Lutador (voice)
2021 Movie
7.5
The Suicide Squad
as Savant
2021 Movie
2.0
Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR
as Self
2021 Movie
7.0
F9
as Buddy
2021 Movie
Series
Acting Appearances in Series
Series cast credits for Michael Rooker.
7.8
Creature Commandos
as Sam (voice) • 1 eps
2024 Series
8.2
Peacemaker
as Red St. Wild • 3 eps
2022 Series
8.1
What If...?
as Yondu (voice) • 2 eps
2021 Series
7.4
Marvel Studios Legends
as Yondu Udonta (archive footage) (uncredited) • 6 eps
2021 Series
9.0
Dead Talk Live
as Self - Guest • 1 eps
2020 Series
7.4
Creepshow
as Beau • 1 eps
2019 Series
7.4
The Righteous Gemstones
as Cobb Milsap • 4 eps
2019 Series
8.5
The Rookie
as Frank Teska • 2 eps
2018 Series
8.0
SEAL Team
as Big Chief • 1 eps
2017 Series
Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed
as Self • 8 eps
2016 Series
7.3
Ride with Norman Reedus
as Self • 2 eps
2016 Series
1.0
CelebriD&D
as Arnold • 1 eps
2015 Series