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