Guardians of the Galaxy's Michael Rooker on playing Yondu, the big blue anti-hero

His hulking, blue, veiny build may lookevil, but Michael Rooker who plays Yondu inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2says his character is anything but.

"I've never played bad or good," he told CBC News. "I tend to want to make my characters way more complicated than just being one or the other it'd be really simple to do one or the other."

And he's right: Rooker's interpretationof the space pirate whose whistle can make arrows whizall over the place is shape-shifting.

He can seemlike a blue baddieone moment, and thenhe's a charmer,an anti-hero who offers a helping handwith a side ofsnark.

"I just enjoy throwing people for a loop so, you know, just when you think I'm going to smack you, I give you a kiss."

'It's a beautiful role'

The 62-year-old actor's career has been full of the same twists and turnswith roles in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer,JFK,The Walking Deadand even voice work for the Call of Duty franchise.

ButYondu has become a defining character for Rooker.

He was a hit in the firstGuardiansadventure, a surprise blockbuster, andplays a substantially larger role in the sequel, something he credits to writer-director James Gunn.

"He wrote it so well. He improved upon the first Yondu, just grew," he said. "[It's] much more richer and way more challenging for an actor to do," he said.

Rooker wooedfans last year when he showed up atSan Diego's famed Comic Conin full costume.But even without his makeup, he stillgetsrecognized byfanswho know him for his Guardiansrole.

If fate intervened and he washit and killed by a "semi truck" (his words), he said he wouldn't mind if Yondu was what he was remembered for.

"It's a very satisfying role. It's a beautiful role."

Oscar-worthy? Gunn thinks so

Gunn,too, has been praisingRooker's performance, telling Fandangoin an interview that he deserves an Academy Award nomination for it and calling it a "real lifetime-achievement role."

Rooker jokes about the praise saying he had "spiked" the director's lemonade and he wasn't in his right mind whenhe said thatbut is open to the consideration.

He says he's not sure why action movies aren't often nominated for Oscars,given they can be "just as challenging as any other type film."

"I've never gone to the Oscars, so I don't really know what it's all about."

The outer-space sequelopens Friday, with the same ragtag assortment of characters from the first film, includingChris Pratt'sPeter Quill/Star-Lord and Bradley CoopervoicingRocket the Raccoon.Ithas already beenscoringhugebox office numbers abroad.