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Kathy Bates

Kathy Bates

Acting

Born: June 28, 1948Memphis, Tennessee, USA

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).

Known For
Filmography
Rob Reiner – Scenes from a Life

Rob Reiner – Scenes from a Life

Self

2025
The Great Lillian Hall

The Great Lillian Hall

Edith Wilson

2024
A Family Affair

A Family Affair

Leila Ford

2024
Summer Camp

Summer Camp

Ginny Moon

2024
Titanic: Stories from the Heart

Titanic: Stories from the Heart

Self (archive footage)

2023
The Miracle Club

The Miracle Club

Eileen Dunne

2023
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Sylvia Simon

2023
Home

Home

Bernadette

2021
Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony

Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony

Self (archive footage)

2021
Richard Jewell

Richard Jewell

Bobi Jewell

2019
The Highwaymen

The Highwaymen

Ma Ferguson

2019
The Death & Life of John F. Donovan

The Death & Life of John F. Donovan

Barbara Haggermaker

2019
On the Basis of Sex

On the Basis of Sex

Dorothy Kenyon

2018
Krystal

Krystal

Vera

2018
Bad Santa 2

Bad Santa 2

Sunny Soke

2016
Complete Unknown

Complete Unknown

Nina

2016
The Boss

The Boss

Ida Marquette

2016
The Great Gilly Hopkins

The Great Gilly Hopkins

Maime Trotter

2015
Boychoir

Boychoir

Headmistress

2015
Tammy

Tammy

Lenore

2014

Cadaver

Beth

2012
Reflections on Titanic

Reflections on Titanic

Self

2012
Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris

Gertrude Stein

2011
You May Not Kiss the Bride

You May Not Kiss the Bride

Bryan's Mother

2011
A Little Bit of Heaven

A Little Bit of Heaven

Beverly Corbett

2011
Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day

Susan Milton

2010
The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club

The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club

Pancho Barnes (Voice)

2009
The Blind Side

The Blind Side

Miss Sue

2009
Chéri

Chéri

Madame Peloux

2009
Personal Effects

Personal Effects

Gloria

2009
Revolutionary Road

Revolutionary Road

Mrs. Helen Givings

2008
The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still

Regina Jackson

2008
Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys

Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys

Charlotte Cartwright

2008
The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass

Hester (voice)

2007
P.S. I Love You

P.S. I Love You

Patricia

2007
Fred Claus

Fred Claus

Mother Claus

2007
Bee Movie

Bee Movie

Janet Benson (voice)

2007
Christmas Is Here Again

Christmas Is Here Again

Miss Dowdy (voice)

2007
Guilty Hearts

Guilty Hearts

The Judge

2007
Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web

Bitsy the Cow (voice)

2006
Bonneville

Bonneville

Margene Cunningham

2006
Relative Strangers

Relative Strangers

Agnes Menure

2006
Failure to Launch

Failure to Launch

Sue

2006
Rumor Has It...

Rumor Has It...

Aunt Mitsy (uncredited)

2005
Six Feet Under: In Memoriam

Six Feet Under: In Memoriam

Herself

2005
Ambulance Girl

Ambulance Girl

Jane Stern

2005
Warm Springs

Warm Springs

Helena Mahoney

2005
Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel

Narrator (voice)

2005
The Bridge of San Luis Rey

The Bridge of San Luis Rey

The Marquesa

2004
The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing

The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing

Narrator (voice)

2004
Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy

Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy

Siren / Sea Hag (voice)

2004
Little Black Book

Little Black Book

Kippie Kann

2004
Around the World in 80 Days

Around the World in 80 Days

Queen Victoria

2004
Celebrity Naked Ambition

Celebrity Naked Ambition

Self (archive footage)

2003
Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence

Self

2003
Misery Loves Company

Misery Loves Company

Self

2003
Love Liza

Love Liza

Mary Ann Bankhead

2002
About Schmidt

About Schmidt

Roberta Hertzel

2002
Unconditional Love

Unconditional Love

Grace Beasley

2002
Dragonfly

Dragonfly

Mrs. Belmont

2002
Making Rat Race

Making Rat Race

Herself

2002
My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper

Christine Chapman

2002
Rat Race

Rat Race

The Squirrel Lady (uncredited)

2001
American Outlaws

American Outlaws

Ma James

2001
Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood

Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood

Frances Marion (voice)

2000
Bruno

Bruno

Mother Superior

2000
Annie

Annie

Miss Agatha Hannigan

1999

Baby Steps

Mrs. Mellon

1999
A Civil Action

A Civil Action

Bankruptcy Judge (uncredited)

1998
Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes

Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes

Self

1998
The Waterboy

The Waterboy

Mama Boucher

1998
The Effects of Magic

The Effects of Magic

Raphaella, the Magic Bunny

1998
Titanic: Breaking New Ground

Titanic: Breaking New Ground

Self

1998
Primary Colors

Primary Colors

Libby Holden

1998
Swept from the Sea

Swept from the Sea

Miss Swaffer

1998
Titanic

Titanic

Molly Brown

1997

Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life

Self

1997
The War at Home

The War at Home

Maurine Collier

1996
Diabolique

Diabolique

Det. Shirley Vogel

1996
The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful

The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful

Self

1996
The Late Shift

The Late Shift

Helen Kushnick

1996
The West Side Waltz

The West Side Waltz

Mr. Goo

1995
Angus

Angus

Meg Bethune

1995
Talking With

Talking With

Big Eight (segment "Rodeo")

1995
Dolores Claiborne

Dolores Claiborne

Dolores Claiborne

1995
Curse of the Starving Class

Curse of the Starving Class

Ella Tate

1994
North

North

Alaskan Mom

1994
Tupperware!

Tupperware!

Narrator

1994
A Home of Our Own

A Home of Our Own

Frances Lacey

1993

Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun

Lunar Mom

1993
Used People

Used People

Bibby Berman

1992
Hostages

Hostages

Peggy Say

1992
Prelude to a Kiss

Prelude to a Kiss

Leah Blier

1992
Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes

Evelyn Couch

1991
At Play in the Fields of the Lord

At Play in the Fields of the Lord

Hazel Quarrier

1991
Shadows and Fog

Shadows and Fog

Prostitute

1991

The Road to Mecca

Elsa Barlow

1991
Misery

Misery

Annie Wilkes

1990
White Palace

White Palace

Rosemary

1990
Dick Tracy

Dick Tracy

Mrs. Green

1990
Men Don't Leave

Men Don't Leave

Lisa Coleman

1990
No Place Like Home

No Place Like Home

Bonnie Cooper

1989
High Stakes

High Stakes

Jill

1989
Roe vs. Wade

Roe vs. Wade

Jessie

1989
Signs of Life

Signs of Life

Mary Beth Alder

1989
Arthur 2: On the Rocks

Arthur 2: On the Rocks

Mrs. Canby

1988
My Best Friend Is a Vampire

My Best Friend Is a Vampire

Helen Blake

1987
Summer Heat

Summer Heat

Ruth

1987
Murder Ordained

Murder Ordained

Bobbi Birk

1987
The Morning After

The Morning After

Woman on Mateo Street

1986
Johnny Bull

Johnny Bull

Katherine Kovacs

1986
Two of a Kind

Two of a Kind

Furniture Man's Wife

1983
Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean

Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean

Stella Mae

1982
Straight Time

Straight Time

Selma Darin

1978
Taking Off

Taking Off

Audition Singer

1971