Michael Rooker

Michael Rooker is an American actor born on April 6, 1955, in Jasper, Alabama. He gained recognition for his role as Henry in the 1986 film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Rooker became widely known for his portrayal of Merle Dixon in the AMC series The Walking Dead from 2010 to 2013. He also achieved significant popularity for his portrayal of Yondu Udonta in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, including Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023). Rooker has collaborated frequently with director James Gunn, appearing in films such as Slither (2006), Super (2010), and The Suicide Squad (2021). Other notable roles include Eight Men Out (1988), Mississippi Burning (1988), Sea of Love (1989), Days of Thunder (1990), JFK (1991), Cliffhanger (1993), Tombstone (1993), Mallrats (1995), The Bone Collector (1999), and F9 (2021).