Sean Gunn is Retired From Playing Rocket Raccoon: "I Think I’m Too Old"

Playing Rocket Raccoon may look like a pretty sweet gig, but spending years crouched down and moving around like a genetically engineered space raccoon apparently does a number on the body.

Sean Gunn says he has officially “retired” from performing the on-set motion reference work for Rocket in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy films. After playing the character across three movies, Gunn says the physical demands have caught up with him.

During an appearance on The Brandon Davis Show, Gunn explained that hitting 50 helped him realize his Rocket days were probably over.

“Since I’ve turned 50 a couple of years ago, I am retired from playing Rocket. Not that they’ve called. But if they did, I don’t think that I could do the motion reference anymore for Rocket. I think I’m too old.”

While Bradley Cooper provided Rocket’s unmistakable voice, Gunn was physically on set performing the character and giving the other actors someone to interact with during filming.

That meant getting his body down to Rocket’s height and spending plenty of time moving around in positions that weren’t exactly designed for human comfort. According to Gunn, the biggest problem isn’t his knees.

“Everyone thinks it’s my knees, but it’s really my feet and my ankles. I’m in a catcher’s crouch, and I’m pivoting a lot on my points of contact with the ground.

“I’m doing a lot of pivoting in my ankles and feet. And over the years, I think it had a little bit of an effect on my physiology.” He also noted that it “hurts after a while.”

Gunn performed Rocket’s on-set movements throughout the entire Guardians trilogy, beginning with 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy. He returned for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in 2017 and once again crawled back into Rocket mode for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2023.

Rocket wasn’t Gunn’s only contribution to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He also played Kraglin Obfonteri on screen, appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Love and Thunder, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

So, if Marvel ever decides Rocket needs another adventure, Gunn may still be game for something in the MCU, but getting back into that punishing raccoon crouch doesn’t appear to be part of his plan.

Meanwhile, Andy Serkis is 62 years old and he’s still going strong as Gullom! He’s currently directing and starring in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum.