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Michael Rooker

Michael Rooker

Actor, also producer · Born April 6, 1955 (71) · Jasper, Alabama, USA

Independent Spirit Award nominee

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).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 6, 1955 (71)
From
Jasper, Alabama, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
91 on MovieCove · 130 credits in all

What are Michael Rooker's films like?

Across their 56 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 54 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 11 · Serious 12 · Dark 31

A split, not a type: Grounded 23 · Stylized 20 · Heightened 11

Gentle 4 · Charged 14 · Intense 36

Steady 13 · Shifting 30 · Whiplash 11

Straight-faced 38 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 6

Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 30 · Relentless 12

Casual 15 · Engaged 29 · Full focus 10

Easy watch 15 · Affecting 25 · Heavy 14

Resolved 36 · Open-ended 11 · Ambiguous 7

Roles they play

34 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 12 of 34 analyzed roles.

Shadow
12 of 34
Mentor
7 of 34
Hero
5 of 34
Ally
4 of 34
Threshold guardian
4 of 34
Herald
2 of 34
Show the 34 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
43
Dread
18
Thrilling
20
Melancholic
16
Absurd
9
Other
44

How their films end · 13 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet32
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous9

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Michael Rooker's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 69 of their 91 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (28).

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Rooker's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

130 credits, 91 with a MovieCove page; 15 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Superman(2025)

    as Superman Robot #1 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • Creature Commandos(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam (voice)

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows
  • Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2(2024)

    as Sgt. Major Riordan

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1(2024)

    as Sgt. Major Thomas Riordan

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • The Out-Laws(2023)

    as Agent Oldham

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • White Elephant(2022)

    as Gabriel Tancredi

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Corrective Measures(2022)

    as Warden Devlin

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • Peacemaker(2022)

    Show 3 episodes · as Red St. Wild

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • What If...?(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Yondu (voice) · as Yondu Udonta (voice)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows
  • Vivo(2021)

    as Lutador (voice)

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • The Suicide Squad(2021)

    as Savant

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • F9: The Fast Saga(2021)

    as Buddy

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • Marvel Studios: Legends(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · as Yondu Udonta (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows
  • Love and Monsters(2020)

    as Clyde

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • The Dark Tower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Elred Jonas

  • Fantasy Island(2020)

    as Damon

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
  • Creepshow(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Beau

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows
  • The Righteous Gemstones(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · as Cobb Milsap

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • Brightburn(2019)

    as The Big T

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • Bolden(2019)

    as Pat McMurphy

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • The Rookie(2018)

    Show 2 episodes · as Frank Teska

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows
  • The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Merle Dixon / Lucille's Father (voice)

  • SEAL Team(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Big Chief

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • The Belko Experiment(2016)

    as Bud Melks

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
  • CelebriD&D (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Arnold

  • The Driving Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Trooper

  • Guardians of the Galaxy(2014)

    as Yondu Udonta

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
  • Elwood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Condello

  • True Detective(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Edward Hoyt

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • Brother's Keeper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Chief Carver

  • Pennhurst (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · as Dr. Death

  • Hypothermia(2010)

    as Ray Pelletier

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
  • Rogue River(2011)

    as Gas Attendent

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
  • Mysteria(2011)

    as Captain McCarthy

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
  • Cell 213 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Ray Clement

  • Super(2010)

    as Abe

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Red Doc (segment "Jonah Hex") (voice)

  • The Walking Dead(2010)

    Show 19 episodes · as Merle Dixon

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
  • Atlantis Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Father / Alien

  • Jonah Hex(2010)

    as Red Doc (voice)

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
  • Blood Done Sign My Name(2010)

    as Defense attorney Billy Watkins

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • Louis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Pat McMurphy

  • Matadors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as John Canterna

  • The Marine 2(2009)

    as Church

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Freeway Killer(2010)

    as Det. St. John

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
  • Archer(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheriff E. Z. Ponder (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • Meteor(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Calvin Stark

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows
  • Penance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Mann

  • Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
  • Humanzee! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Priest

  • Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
  • This Man's Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Richard Crummly

  • Jumper(2008)

    as William Rice

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • Whisper(2007)

    as Sydney Braverman

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Chuck(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Mauser

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • Burn Notice(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Dale Lawson

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
  • Shark(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Oscar Riddick

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
  • Psych(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Garth Lawnmore

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
  • Slither(2006)

    as Grant Grant

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • Thief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 5 episodes · as Detective John Hayes

  • Lenexa, 1 Mile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Russ

  • Repo! The Genetic Opera (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • Criminal Minds(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Chief Carlson

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
  • Chasing Ghosts(2005)

    as Mark Spencer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
  • The Eliminator (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Actor

  • Skeleton Man(2004)

    as Captain Leary

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
  • Saving Jessica Lynch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Colonel Curry

  • On Thin Ice(2003)

    as Roger Hopkins

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Las Vegas(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Marcus Wexler

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows
  • The Box (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Detective Stafford

  • Tremors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Kinney

  • CSI: Miami(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Marty Jones

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows
  • The Outer Limits: The New Series - Time Travel and Infinity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Colonel Beckett

  • Undisputed(2002)

    as A.J. Mercker

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
  • Crossing Jordan(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Shawn Curaco

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows
  • Replicant(2001)

    as Jake

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • The 6th Day(2000)

    as Robert Marshall

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • Newsbreak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as John McNamara

  • Table One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Rowdy

  • Here on Earth(2000)

    as Malcolm Arnold

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • Table for One(1999)

    Co-Executive Producer · as Matt Draper / Dr. Matthew Swan

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
  • The Bone Collector(1999)

    as Captain Howard Cheney

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Renegade Force (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Matt Cooper

  • Brown's Requiem(1998)

    Associate Producer · as Fritz Brown

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Shadow Builder(1998)

    as Father Vassey

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
  • The Replacement Killers(1998)

    as Stan 'Zeedo' Zedkov

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
  • Deceiver(1997)

    as Detective Edward Kennesaw

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • Stargate SG-1(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Colonel Edwards

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • Song of Hiawatha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Bertrand

  • Keys to Tulsa(1997)

    as Keith Michaels

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Rosewood(1997)

    as Sheriff Walker

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • Meet Wally Sparks(1997)

    as Michael Rooker

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • Bastard Out of Carolina(1996)

    as Uncle Earle

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
  • The Trigger Effect(1996)

    as Gary

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
  • Back to Back(1996)

    as Bob Malone

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
  • Mallrats(1995)

    as Svenning

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • The Outer Limits(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Colonel Beckett

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
  • Johnny & Clyde(1995)

    as Frank Tennant

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films
  • The Hard Truth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Jonah Mantz

  • Suspicious (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Attendant

  • Tombstone(1993)

    as Sherman McMasters

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • Fallen Angels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Babe McCloor

  • Cliffhanger(1993)

    as Hal Tucker

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • The Dark Half(1993)

    as Sheriff Alan Pangborn

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Afterburn(1992)

    as Casey 'Z' Zankowski

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • JFK(1991)

    as Bill Broussard

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Jamie Yost

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
  • Days of Thunder(1990)

    as Rowdy Burns

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Music Box(1989)

    as Karchy Laszlo

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • Sea of Love(1989)

    as Terry

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
  • L.A. Takedown(1989)

    as Bosko

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • The Edge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Deputy Sheriff (Indian Poker)

  • Gideon Oliver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Detective John Quinn

  • Mississippi Burning(1988)

    as Frank Bailey

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Eight Men Out(1988)

    as Chick Gandil

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
  • Above the Law(1988)

    as Man in Bar

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Retreads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Actor

  • Rent-a-Cop(1987)

    as Joe

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • Light of Day(1987)

    as Oogie

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Crime Story(1986)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lieutenant

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
  • The Equalizer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Bill Whitaker

  • Izzi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Sheriff Blackstone

  • Pig Village (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Steve

  • Road Rage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Stony

  • Survive the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Underneath: In Fortune's Shadow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as The Man with the Answers

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 130 titles, 125 of them dated from 1985 to 2025; peak year 2021.

Film career

19852025

Peak 2021 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 14 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1986Screen debut· Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
  • 1986First top-billed film· Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
  • 2010Career best· The Walking Dead

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting129 of 130: 126 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thDirecting1 of 130: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing2 of 130: 0 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew1 of 130: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

130 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1980s14 · acting1990s28 · 28 acting · 2 crew2000s37 · 36 acting · 1 crew2010s28 · 28 acting · 1 crew2020s18 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 7% of 57 roles
869196011121

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in 1991, Best Male Lead.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Michael Rooker's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 67; across their 54 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 42nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 54

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 54

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 54

Midcredits score across 91 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up34
  • 50th to 74th16
  • 25th to 49th23
  • Below 25th18

Shape of the crowd

29 of their 91 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved20
  • Universally Panned2
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Broadly Agreed10
  • Mixed29

Reviewers score the acting 65/100 in their films, across 53 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Michael Rooker's work okay for kids?

Across up to 32 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore28 titles46–95 · median 77 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity32 titles7–60 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity29 titles39–87 · median 70 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs25 titles22–65 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense25 titles40–86 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Michael Rooker work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Rooker's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; James Gunn shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles