Las Cruces International Film Festival to honor Michael Rooker with Outstanding Achievement award

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The Las Cruces International Film Festival is awarding its Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment award to Michael Rooker at this years' festival April 8 to 12.

Rooker has gained international fame portraying space pirate Yondu Udonta in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise. He has also won acclaim as Merle Dixon in "The Walking Dead." Rooker is also the face of NASCAR on NBC.

Rooker will receive his award at a special screening of "Guardians of the Galaxy 2" on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 7 p.m. at the Allen Theatres Cineport. A question-and-answer session with the audience will follow. Tickets will be $35, organizers say.

Past recipients of the achievement award include Helen Hunt, Ron Perlman, Giancarlo Esposito, William H. Macy, Danny Trejo, Brendan Fraser, George Lopez, Cybill Shepherd, Richard Dreyfuss and Edward James Olmos.