
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).

Law & Order
TV • 1990

The Rookie
TV • 2018

Criminal Minds
TV • 2005

CSI: Miami
TV • 2002

Stargate SG-1
TV • 1997

Chuck
TV • 2007

Crossing Jordan
TV • 2001

The Walking Dead
TV • 2010

Psych
TV • 2006

True Detective
TV • 2014

Las Vegas
TV • 2003

SEAL Team
TV • 2017

The Equalizer
TV • 1985

Burn Notice
TV • 2007

Archer
TV • 2009

The Outer Limits
TV • 1995

Peacemaker
TV • 2022

What If...?
TV • 2021