Highest rated as cast or director
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).
Acted in 125
2020s
- 2025
- 2024
- 2023
- 2022
- 2021
58F9
Buddy
- 2020
2010s
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2015
CelebriD&D
Arnold · 1 episode
- 2014
The Driving Dead
Trooper
Elwood
Condello
- 2013
Brother's Keeper
Chief Carver
- 2012
Hypothermia
Ray Pelletier
Rogue River
Gas Attendent
- 2011
Mysteria
Captain McCarthy
- 2010
60Super
Abe
DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection
Red Doc (segment "Jonah Hex") (voice)
Atlantis Down
Father / Alien
DC Showcase: Jonah Hex
Red Doc (voice)
Blood Done Sign My Name
Defense attorney Billy Watkins
Louis
Pat McMurphy
2000s
- 2009
The Marine 2
Church
Freeway Killer
Det. St. John
Super Capers
Judge / Dark Winged Vesper
- 2008
Humanzee!
Priest
Hope & Redemption: The Lena Baker Story
Sheriff Haney
- 2007
- 2006
Thief
Detective John Hayes · 5 episodes
Lenexa, 1 Mile
Russ
Repo! The Genetic Opera
Movie
- 2005
Chasing Ghosts
Mark Spencer
- 2004
The Eliminator
Movie
- 2003
Saving Jessica Lynch
Colonel Curry
The Box
Detective Stafford
- 2002
The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinity
Colonel Beckett
- 2001
- 2000
Newsbreak
John McNamara
Table One
Rowdy
Here on Earth
Malcolm Arnold
1990s
- 1999
- 1998
Brown's Requiem
Fritz Brown
- 1997
Song of Hiawatha
Bertrand
Rosewood
Sheriff Walker
- 1996
The Trigger Effect
Gary
Back to Back
Bob Malone
- 1995
Johnny and Clyde
Frank Tennant
- 1994
Suspicious
Attendant
- 1993
- 1992
Afterburn
Casey 'Z' Zankowski
- 1991
- 1990
1980s
- 1989
Music Box
Karchy Laszlo
L.A. Takedown
Bosko
The Edge
Deputy Sheriff (Indian Poker)
Gideon Oliver
Detective John Quinn · 1 episode
- 1988
- 1987
Light of Day
Oogie
- 1986
- 1985
No release date
The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow
The Man with the Answers
Pig Village
Steve
Scott's Dead
Mitch
Produced 2
1990s
- 1999
- 1998
Brown's Requiem
Associate Producer
Directed 1
2010s
- 2012
Appearances14
2020s
- 2021
Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR
Self
- 2020
The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder
Self
Dead Talk Live
Self - Guest · 2 episodes
2010s
- 2017
- 2016
Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed
Self · 8 episodes
- 2011
- 2010
The Making of The Walking Dead
Self
2000s
- 2009
- 2005
Portrait: The Making of Henry
Self
Erection of an Epic - The Making of Mallrats
Self
- 2002
The Making of 'Tombstone'
Self
1990s
- 1993
Stallone on the Edge: The Making of Cliffhanger
Self
Thanked in the credits1
2000s
- 2008
