I was pretty confident that I'd be playing something, if James Gunn could convince Marvel Studios and Disney to cast me. He's involved with the casting too, but if he could convince them to go along with him and agree with getting me on the roster, then yeah, I would have voiced Groot. Not a problem. Groot is an awesome character.
Michael Rooker'Cliffhanger' got me in the best shape of my life, working at 10,000 feet up in the mountains. And everybody was great. I lived in Italy for seven months doing that movie. It was a great vacation.
Michael RookerEvery time I was cast in a role, the director put a gun in my hand, so I figured Iโd better learn how to use one. Then I found out I really liked it.
Michael RookerHorror fans need horror, okay? They don't need little worms squirming around going down your throat. To them, that's not horror.
Michael RookerI got my training here in Chicago at the Goodman School Of Drama, and a lot of my personal work is usually internal work and stuff. Everything else that goes on is icing on the cake - your wardrobe, your makeup, whatever else you have to do.
Michael RookerActors basically do their thing on the set, and then you put all the pieces together, switch them around, and maybe put them a different way that looks better. We just give him everything he needs, and then he goes in and does his thing.
Michael RookerThere's always room. That's what the directors usually want. They want the performer to bring themselves and give what they have to give for the role. The smart ones allow that to happen because then it becomes even more organic within the performer's imagination. It becomes even more real. It's not always a given in other films, but when Gunn works, and we all work together in a collaborative way like that, it becomes a given that you bring it. It becomes a lot of fun.
Michael Rooker