Check out the most anticipated movies and shows premiering during the summer season, from [i]Ballerina[/i] to [i]Thunderbolts*[/i].

IMDb Summer Watch Guide

Check out the most anticipated movies and shows premiering during the summer season, from <em>Ballerina</em> to <em>Thunderbolts*</em>.

These actors totally transform for their roles. See them in some of their most memorable moments.

The Greatest Character Actors of All Time

From [link=/name/nm6180088/]Young Mazino[/link] in "[link=/title/tt3581920]The Last of Us[/link]" to [link=/name/nm12043107]Sarah Bock[/link] in "[link=/title/tt11280740]Severance[/link]," check out these popular and up-and-coming stars who are taking Hollywood by storm.

Asian Hollywood Stars to Watch

From <a class="ipc-md-link" href="/name/nm6180088/?ref_=nmmi_eds_right-7_lk">Young Mazino</a> in &quot;<a class="ipc-md-link" href="/title/tt3581920?ref_=nmmi_eds_right-7_lk">The Last of Us</a>&quot; to <a class="ipc-md-link" href="/name/nm12043107?ref_=nmmi_eds_right-7_lk">Sarah Bock</a> in &quot;<a class="ipc-md-link" href="/title/tt11280740?ref_=nmmi_eds_right-7_lk">Severance</a>,&quot; check out these popular and up-and-coming stars who are taking Hollywood by storm.

Chris Pratt and Michael Rooker in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Michael Rooker and John Ostrander in The Suicide Squad (2021)

James Gunn, Michael Rooker, and Ivan Urgant in Evening Urgant (2012)

Pete Davidson, Nathan Fillion, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, Joel Kinnaman, Flula Borg, Jai Courtney, Margot Robbie, and Mayling Ng in The Suicide Squad (2021)

Mary Demas, Michael Rooker, and Tom Towles in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Ray Atherton, Michael Rooker, and Tom Towles in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Michael Rooker and Tom Towles in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Jill Hennessy and Michael Rooker in Crossing Jordan (2001)

Kevin Costner and Michael Rooker in JFK (1991)

Kevin Costner, Michael Rooker, and Jay O. Sanders in JFK (1991)

Michael Rooker in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Stephen Blackehart, Michael Rooker, and Jimmy Urine in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Michael Rooker in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn, and Michael Rooker in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, and Michael Rooker in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, and Michael Rooker in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, Michael Rooker, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Michael Rooker in The Walking Dead (2010)

Michael Rooker in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Laurie Murdoch and Michael Rooker in The Outer Limits (1995)

Sean Gunn, Chris Pratt, Michael Rooker, and Zoe Saldaña in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Sean Gunn, Ralph Ineson, Michael Rooker, and Zoe Saldaña in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker in The Walking Dead (2010)

Michael Rooker and Steven Yeun in The Walking Dead (2010)

Michael Rooker, Lawrence Kao, Michael Koske, and Kevin Galbraith in The Walking Dead (2010)

Michael Rooker, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Lawrence Kao, and Kevin Galbraith in The Walking Dead (2010)

Michael Rooker, Jose Pablo Cantillo, and Lawrence Kao in The Walking Dead (2010)

Michael Rooker was born on April 6, 1955 in Jasper, Alabama. When he was thirteen, his parents divorced and he went with his mother to live in Chicago. He caught the acting bug while attending college, and began appearing in local stage productions. On first breaking into film, his intensity and "don't-mess-with-me" good looks were highlighted to chilling effect as the title character in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), filmed in 1986 but, due to its controversial nature, not released until 1990. Since that widely noticed and highly praised performance, much of his career has been spent playing brutes, villains and psychopaths. However, his occasional turns as a "good guy" are always well-acted and a welcome change for a talented actor too often typecast.

2017 marks an exciting time for Rooker, as he starred in two films premiering just two months of each other. On March 17, audiences saw Rooker in Blumhouse Tilt's indie horror thriller The Belko Experiment (2016). The film is the terrifying yet humorous look at a group of employees that become guinea pigs in a company-wide experiment that leads them to either kill their fellow employees or be killed themselves. Returning to his indie roots, Rooker starred as maintenance worker, Bud Melks, one of the employees trapped in the office building, who may or may not be able to kill his fellow staff member. On May 5, Rooker reprised his role as Yondu in the highly anticipated sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017). The film follows the same group of galactic underdogs saving the universe to a stellar soundtrack. Rooker's breakout performance earned him critical acclaim, as audiences were introduced to a more dramatic Yondu. The film went on to earn over $145 million domestically its opening weekend and has surpassed its predecessor by grossing over $850 million worldwide.

Rooker made his film debut, playing the title role in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986), a film based on the confessions of serial killer Henry Lee Lucas. It was here that audiences were first introduced to Rooker's impeccable ability to channel a character's idiosyncrasies and subtleties. He has also starred in some of the most iconic films, such as Mississippi Burning (1988), Sea of Love (1989), JFK (1991), Tombstone (1993) and Jumper (2008) to name a few. In August 2014, Rooker starred in one of the most memorable franchises in the Marvel Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), as Yondu, the blue-skinned renegade space pirate and surrogate father to Peter Quill. The film went on to gross over $700 million at the worldwide box office and spent five weekends atop the box office, more than any other film in the Marvel Universe.

On the television front, Rooker is best known for his series regular role as Merle Dixon on AMC's hit series The Walking Dead (2010). Audiences loved to hate the ill-tempered redneck hunter and were sad to see him killed off the series in season three. Rooker has completed a variety of stints on some of the most prominent series on television: Criminal Minds (2005), CSI: Miami (2002), Las Vegas (2003), Law & Order (1990) and Archer (2009), among others. Additionally, Rooker's talents go beyond both film and television. He adds his voice to various video games, including The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, and Lollipop Chainsaw.

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Michael Rooker

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