Kathy Bates
Born: 1948-06-28 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Known For: Acting
Biography
Kathleen Doyle Bates (born June 28, 1948) is an American actress and director. She has been the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, she studied theatre at the Southern Methodist University before moving to New York City to pursue an acting career. She landed minor stage roles before being cast in her first on screen role in Taking Off (1971). Her first Off-Broadway stage performance was in the 1976 production of Vanities. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, she continued to perform on screen and on stage, and garnered a Tony Award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Play in 1983 for her performance in 'night, Mother, and won an Obie Award in 1988 for her performance in Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. Bates' performance as Annie Wilkes in the tense psychological thriller Misery (1990) marked her Hollywood breakthrough, winning her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Further acclaim came for her starring role in Dolores Claiborne (1995), The Waterboy (1998), and supporting roles in Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) and Titanic (1997). Bates received subsequent Oscar nods in the Best Supporting Actress category for her work in Primary Colors (1998), About Schmidt (2002), and Richard Jewell (2019). Bates' television work has resulted in 14 Emmy Award nominations, including two for her leading role on the NBC series Harry's Law (2011–12). She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her appearance on the ninth season of Two and a Half Men (2012) and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for her portrayal of Delphine LaLaurie on the third season of American Horror Story (2013). She also received accolades for her portrayal of Miss Hannigan in the 1999 television adaptation of Annie. Her directing credits include several episodes of the HBO television series Six Feet Under (2001–03) and the television film Ambulance Girl (2005).
Filmography
2025
- Rob Reiner – Scenes from a Life as Self
2024
- Matlock as Madeline 'Matty' Matlock
- A Family Affair as Leila Ford
- Summer Camp as Ginny Moon
- The Great Lillian Hall as Edith Wilson
2023
- Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter as Self
- Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. as Sylvia Simon
- The Miracle Club as Eileen Dunne
- Titanic: Stories from the Heart as Self (archive footage)
2022
- The Jennifer Hudson Show as Self
2021
- Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony as Self (archive footage)
- Home as Bernadette
2019
- The Kelly Clarkson Show as Self
- Richard Jewell as Bobi Jewell
- The Highwaymen as Ma Ferguson
- The Death & Life of John F. Donovan as Barbara Haggermaker
2018
- On the Basis of Sex as Dorothy Kenyon
- Krystal as Vera
2017
- FEUD as Joan Blondell
- Disjointed as Ruth
2016
- Chelsea as Self
- Bad Santa 2 as Sunny Soke
- The Boss as Ida Marquette
- Complete Unknown as Nina
2015
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self - Guest
- Lip Sync Battle as Self
- The Great Gilly Hopkins as Maime Trotter
- Boychoir as Headmistress
2014
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- Tammy as Lenore
- Return to the 5 & Dime: An Interview with Ed Graczyk as Self – Stella Mae (archive footage)
2012
- Cadaver as Beth
- Reflections on Titanic as Self
2011
- American Horror Story as Delphine LaLaurie
- Harry's Law as Harriet 'Harry' Korn
- Midnight in Paris as Gertrude Stein
- A Little Bit of Heaven as Beverly Corbett
- You May Not Kiss the Bride as Bryan's Mother
2010
- Mike & Molly as Kay
- Valentine's Day as Susan Milton
2009
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- The Blind Side as Miss Sue
- Alice as Queen of Hearts
- Chéri as Madame Peloux
- Personal Effects as Gloria
- The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club as Pancho Barnes (Voice)
2008
- The Day the Earth Stood Still as Regina Jackson
- Revolutionary Road as Mrs. Helen Givings
- Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys as Charlotte Cartwright
- Stand Up to Cancer as Self
2007
- The Big Bang Theory as Mrs. Fowler
- Chelsea Lately as Self (archive footage)
- Bee Movie as Janet Benson (voice)
- The Golden Compass as Hester (voice)
- P.S. I Love You as Patricia
- Fred Claus as Mother Claus
- Guilty Hearts as The Judge
- Christmas Is Here Again as Miss Dowdy (voice)
2006
- Charlotte's Web as Bitsy the Cow (voice)
- Failure to Launch as Sue
- Relative Strangers as Agnes Menure
- Bonneville as Margene Cunningham
2005
- American Dad! as D.O. Rothy (voice)
- The Office as Jo Bennett
- Rumor Has It... as Aunt Mitsy (uncredited)
- Warm Springs as Helena Mahoney
- Ambulance Girl as Jane Stern
- Six Feet Under: In Memoriam as Herself
- Hansel and Gretel as Narrator (voice)
2004
- Around the World in 80 Days as Queen Victoria
- Little Black Book as Kippie Kann
- Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy as Siren / Sea Hag (voice)
- The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing as Narrator (voice)
- The Bridge of San Luis Rey as The Marquesa
- Tupperware! as Narrator
2003
- Two and a Half Men as Charlie Harper
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self - Guest
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- Celebrity Naked Ambition as Self (archive footage)
- Fargo ... (Director)
- Declaration of Independence as Self
- Misery Loves Company as Self
2002
- Everwood ... (Director)
- Dragonfly as Mrs. Belmont
- About Schmidt as Roberta Hertzel
- Unconditional Love as Grace Beasley
- My Sister's Keeper as Christine Chapman
- Love Liza as Mary Ann Bankhead
- Making Rat Race as Herself
2001
- Six Feet Under as Bettina
- Rat Race as The Squirrel Lady (uncredited)
- American Outlaws as Ma James
2000
- Bruno as Mother Superior
- Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood as Frances Marion (voice)
1999
- Annie as Miss Agatha Hannigan
- Dash and Lilly ... (Director)
- Baby Steps as Mrs. Mellon
1998
- The Waterboy as Mama Boucher
- A Civil Action as Bankruptcy Judge (uncredited)
- Primary Colors as Libby Holden
- Swept from the Sea as Miss Swaffer
- Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes as Self
- The Effects of Magic as Raphaella, the Magic Bunny
- Titanic: Breaking New Ground as Self
1997
- King of the Hill as Patrol Officer Jane Cooper (voice)
- Titanic as Molly Brown
- The View as Self
- Oz ... (Director)
- Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life as Self
1996
- The Daily Show as Self
- 3rd Rock from the Sun as Charlotte Everly
- The Late Shift as Helen Kushnick
- Diabolique as Det. Shirley Vogel
- The War at Home as Maurine Collier
- The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful as Self
1995
- Dolores Claiborne as Dolores Claiborne
- MADtv as Stuart's Grandma
- Angus as Meg Bethune
- Talking With as Big Eight (segment "Rodeo")
- The West Side Waltz as Mr. Goo
1994
- The Stand as Rae Flowers (uncredited)
- North as Alaskan Mom
- Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- Curse of the Starving Class as Ella Tate
1993
- NYPD Blue ... (Director)
- Homicide: Life on the Street ... (Director)
- A Home of Our Own as Frances Lacey
- Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun as Lunar Mom
1992
- Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories as Narrator (voice)
- Used People as Bibby Berman
- Prelude to a Kiss as Leah Blier
- Hostages as Peggy Say
1991
- Fried Green Tomatoes as Evelyn Couch
- Shadows and Fog as Prostitute
- At Play in the Fields of the Lord as Hazel Quarrier
- The Road to Mecca as Elsa Barlow
1990
- Misery as Annie Wilkes
- Dick Tracy as Mrs. Green
- White Palace as Rosemary
- Men Don't Leave as Lisa Coleman
1989
- Roe vs. Wade as Jessie
- Signs of Life as Mary Beth Alder
- High Stakes as Jill
- No Place Like Home as Bonnie Cooper
1988
- American Experience as Narrator (voice)
- China Beach
- Arthur 2: On the Rocks as Mrs. Canby
1987
- Murder Ordained as Bobbi Birk
- Summer Heat as Ruth
- Murder Ordained as Bobbi Birk
- My Best Friend Is a Vampire as Helen Blake
1986
- L.A. Law as Charlotte Haley
- The Morning After as Woman on Mateo Street
- Johnny Bull as Katherine Kovacs
1983
- Two of a Kind as Furniture Man's Wife
1982
- St. Elsewhere as Polly Miller
- Cagney & Lacey
- Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean as Stella Mae
1978
- Straight Time as Selma Darin
1977
- The Love Boat as Sally Allison
1971
- Great Performances as Self
- Taking Off as Audition Singer
1962
1953
- The Oscars as Self
1951
- Hallmark Hall of Fame as Christine Chapman
1949
- The Emmy Awards as Self
1944
- Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee / Presenter