Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955) is an American actor known for his roles as Henry in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), Chick Gandil in Eight Men Out (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), Jared Svenning in Mallrats (1995), Detective Howard Cheney in The Bone Collector (1999), Grant Grant in Slither (2006), Merle Dixon in AMC's The Walking Dead (2010–2013) and Yondu Udonta in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), its sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), and the animated TV series What If...? (2021).
Since 2006, he has been a frequent collaborator of filmmaker James Gunn.
Known For
Brightburn
(2019)
The Big T
The Suicide Squad
(2021)
Brian Durlin / Savant
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
(2023)
Yondu Udonta
The Belko Experiment
(2016)
Bud Melks
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
(2017)
Yondu Udonta
F9
(2021)
Buddy
Love and Monsters
(2020)
Clyde
Guardians of the Galaxy
(2014)
Yondu Udonta
Tombstone
(1993)
Sherman McMasters
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
(2024)
Sgt. Major Riordan
JFK
(1991)
Bill Broussard
Undisputed
(2002)
A.J. Mercker
The Out-Laws
(2023)
Agent Oldham
Jumper
(2008)
William Rice
Above the Law
(1988)
Man in Bar
Cliffhanger
(1993)
Hal Tucker
Full Filmography
Acting
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
(1986)
Henry
Light of Day
(1987)
Oogie
Rent-a-Cop
(1987)
Joe
Mississippi Burning
(1988)
Frank Bailey
Above the Law
(1988)
Man in Bar
Eight Men Out
(1988)
Chick Gandil
Retreads
(1988)
Sea of Love
(1989)
Terry
Music Box
(1989)
Karchy Laszlo
L.A. Takedown
(1989)
Bosko
Days of Thunder
(1990)
Rowdy Burns
JFK
(1991)
Bill Broussard
Afterburn
(1992)
Casey 'Z' Zankowski
Tombstone
(1993)
Sherman McMasters
The Dark Half
(1993)
Sheriff Alan Pangborn
Cliffhanger
(1993)
Hal Tucker
Suspicious
(1994)
Attendet
The Hard Truth
(1994)
Jonah Mantz
Johnny and Clyde
(1995)
Frank Tennant
Mallrats
(1995)
Svenning
Bastard Out of Carolina
(1996)
Uncle Earle
Back to Back
(1996)
Bob Malone
The Trigger Effect
(1996)
Gary
Keys to Tulsa
(1997)
Keith Michaels
Rosewood
(1997)
Sheriff Walker
Song of Hiawatha
(1997)
Bertrand
Meet Wally Sparks
(1997)
Michael Rooker
Deceiver
(1997)
Detective Edward Kennesaw
The Replacement Killers
(1998)
Stan 'Zeedo' Zedkov
Renegade Force
(1998)
Matt Cooper
Brown's Requiem
(1998)
Fritz Brown
Shadow Builder
(1998)
Father Vassey
The Bone Collector
(1999)
Captain Howard Cheney
Wicked Ways
(1999)
Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan
Here on Earth
(2000)
Malcolm Arnold
Newsbreak
(2000)
John McNamara
The 6th Day
(2000)
Robert Marshall
Table One
(2000)
Rowdy
Replicant
(2001)
Jake
The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinity
(2002)
Colonel Beckett
Undisputed
(2002)
A.J. Mercker
Saving Jessica Lynch
(2003)
Colonel Curry
The Box - 2003
(2003)
Detective Stafford
On Thin Ice
(2003)
Skeleton Man
(2004)
Captain Leary
The Eliminator
(2004)
Portrait: The Making of Henry
(2005)
Self
Chasing Ghosts
(2005)
Mark Spencer
Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats
(2005)
Self
Lenexa, 1 Mile
(2006)
Russ
Slither
(2006)
Grant Grant
Whisper
(2007)
Sydney Braverman
This Man's Life
(2008)
Richard Crummly
Jumper
(2008)
William Rice
Humanzee!
(2008)
Priest
The Marine 2
(2009)
Church
Penance
(2009)
Mann
Super Capers
(2009)
Judge / Dark Winged Vesper
Freeway Killer
(2009)
Det. St. John
Louis
(2010)
Pat McMurphy
Super
(2010)
Abe
DC Showcase: Jonah Hex
(2010)
Red Doc (voice)
Atlantis Down
(2010)
Father / Alien
Blood Done Sign My Name
(2010)
Defense attorney Billy Watkins
DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection
(2010)
Red Doc (segment "Jonah Hex") (voice)
The Making of The Walking Dead
(2010)
Self
Mysteria
(2011)
Captain McCarthy
Cell 213
(2011)
Ray Clement
Pennhurst
(2012)
Dr. Death
Hypothermia
(2012)
Ray Pelletier
Rogue River
(2012)
Gas Attendent
Brother's Keeper
(2013)
Chief Carver
The Sparrows Are Flying Again! - The Making of the Dark Half
(2014)
Himself
The Driving Dead
(2014)
Trooper
Guide to the Galaxy with James Gunn
(2014)
Himself
Guardians of the Galaxy
(2014)
Yondu Udonta
The Belko Experiment
(2016)
Bud Melks
Life After Flash
(2017)
Self
The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking
(2017)
Merle Dixon / Lucille's Father (voice)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
(2017)
Yondu Udonta
Brightburn
(2019)
The Big T
Bolden
(2019)
Pat McMurphy
Love and Monsters
(2020)
Clyde
Fantasy Island
(2020)
Damon
The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder
(2020)
Self
F9
(2021)
Buddy
Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR
(2021)
Self
Vivo
(2021)
Lutador (voice)
The Suicide Squad
(2021)
Brian Durlin / Savant
Clerk
(2021)
Self
Corrective Measures
(2022)
Warden Devlin
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
(2022)
Yondu
White Elephant
(2022)
Gabriel Tancredi
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
(2023)
Yondu Udonta
The Out-Laws
(2023)
Agent Oldham
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
(2024)
Sgt. Major Riordan
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
(2024)
Sgt. Major Riordan
Production
Directing