
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).

Superman
2025 · as Superman Robot #1 (voice)

The Suicide Squad
2021 · as Savant

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
2023 · as Yondu

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
2017 · as Yondu

Tombstone
1993 · as Sherman McMasters

Cliffhanger
1993 · as Hal Tucker

Guardians of the Galaxy
2014 · as Yondu Udonta

Brightburn
2019 · as The Big T

F9
2021 · as Buddy

Jumper
2008 · as William Rice

Slither
2006 · as Grant Grant

The 6th Day
2000 · as Robert Marshall

Undisputed
2002 · as A.J. Mercker

Love and Monsters
2020 · as Clyde

Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
2024 · as Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan

Days of Thunder
1990 · as Rowdy Burns

Fantasy Island
2020 · as Damon

The Bone Collector
1999 · as Captain Howard Cheney