Michael Rooker to headline film festival

Acclaimed film and television star Michael Rooker will be on hand to accept the "Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment Award" when the 11th annual Las Cruces International Film Festival comes to Las Cruces in April 2026.

The festival will honor Rooker April 9 as part of the five-day event. Rooker will screen a film of his choice at the Allen Theatres Cineport at 7 p.m. and host a question-and-answer session with the audience. In the afternoon, Rooker will speak at New Mexico State University about his long and storied career. That evening at the LCIFF VIP Party at the Cineport, Rooker will receive the award.

Past recipients of the LCIFF celebrated 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.

"I am deeply honored to be recognized by the Las Cruces international Film Festival and New Mexico State University," Rooker shared. "Thank you for celebrating my work and for your incredible support of filmmakers and storytellers. This recognition is incredible and I’m truly grateful to be part of such an inspiring community."

Rooker can currently be seen as Cobb on the final season of HBO’s "The Righteous Gemstones," opposite John Goodman, Adam Devine, and Danny McBride, and he just wrapped production on the international thriller "Pig Village" with Korean action star Don Lee.

Last year, Rooker appeared in Kevin Costner’s multi-part epic "Horizon: An American Saga." Other recent credits include the Netflix comedy "The Outlaws," opposite Adam Devine and Peirce Brosnan, James Gunn’s "The Suicide Squad," and Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3," Universal’s "Fast and Furious 9, and Paramount’s "Love and Monsters."

On the small screen, Rooker recently starred in "Peacemaker" opposite John Cena as well as Marvel's "What If" for Disney+. Other notable recent credits include "The Dark Tower" and season three of "True Detective," opposite Mahershala Ali.

Rooker first gained critical acclaim for creating the lead role of "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" in 1986, which he followed up with notable appearances in "Mississippi Burning," "Days of Thunder," "JFK," "Cliffhanger," and "Tombstone."

He is also known for his celebrated work on "The Walking Dead," as Merle Dixon, and in the "Call of Duty" video game franchise as Lieutenant Mike Harper. Since 2019, fans across the nation have known Michael as the current face of NASCAR.

“Michael Rooker is an extraordinary actor with incredible range," said Las Cruces International Film Festival founder and executive director Ross Marks. "He has excelled in comedy, drama, and of course, great action movies. Known for his iconic role as Yondu Udonta in the hit Marvel franchise 'Guardians Of the Galaxy,' he is the perfect honoree to celebrate the film festival’s 11th year. His diverse body of work is impressive. It is a thrill the Las Cruces International Film Festival can honor him in person. I have been a fan of his since his breakout role in Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer. We are ecstatic to honor Michael Rooker at the 2026 film festival.”

The LCIFF Poster Party will be March 6 at the Farm & Ranch Museum from 6-8 p.m. VIP tickets will be on sale for the discounted price of $150 at the poster party only. Admission is $30.

The 11th Las Cruces International Film Festival takes place April 8-12, 2026 and will be live and in-person at the Allen Theatres Cineport. Tickets are available at www.lascrucesfilmfest.com.