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

American Dad!

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Daily Show

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Office

The Kelly Clarkson Show

Two and a Half Men

All Movies (117)

• Rob Reiner – Scenes from a Life2025 · as Self
• The Great Lillian Hall2024 · as Edith Wilson
• A Family Affair2024 · as Leila Ford
• Summer Camp2024 · as Ginny Moon
• Titanic: Stories from the Heart2023 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Miracle Club2023 · as Eileen Dunne
• Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.2023 · as Sylvia Simon
• Home2021 · as Bernadette
• Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony2021 · as Self (archive footage)
• Richard Jewell2019 · as Bobi Jewell
• The Highwaymen2019 · as Ma Ferguson
• The Death & Life of John F. Donovan2019 · as Barbara Haggermaker
• On the Basis of Sex2018 · as Dorothy Kenyon
• Krystal2018 · as Vera
• Bad Santa 22016 · as Sunny Soke
• Complete Unknown2016 · as Nina
• The Boss2016 · as Ida Marquette
• The Great Gilly Hopkins2015 · as Maime Trotter
• Boychoir2015 · as Headmistress
• Return to the 5 & Dime: An Interview with Ed Graczyk2014 · as Self – Stella Mae (archive footage)
• Tammy2014 · as Lenore
• Cadaver2012 · as Beth
• Reflections on Titanic2012 · as Self
• Midnight in Paris2011 · as Gertrude Stein
• You May Not Kiss the Bride2011 · as Bryan's Mother
• A Little Bit of Heaven2011 · as Beverly Corbett
• Valentine's Day2010 · as Susan Milton
• The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club2009 · as Pancho Barnes (Voice)
• The Blind Side2009 · as Miss Sue
• Chéri2009 · as Madame Peloux
• Personal Effects2009 · as Gloria
• Revolutionary Road2008 · as Mrs. Helen Givings
• The Day the Earth Stood Still2008 · as Regina Jackson
• Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys2008 · as Charlotte Cartwright
• The Golden Compass2007 · as Hester (voice)
• P.S. I Love You2007 · as Patricia
• Fred Claus2007 · as Mother Claus
• Bee Movie2007 · as Janet Benson (voice)
• Christmas Is Here Again2007 · as Miss Dowdy (voice)
• Guilty Hearts2007 · as The Judge
• Charlotte's Web2006 · as Bitsy the Cow (voice)
• Bonneville2006 · as Margene Cunningham
• Relative Strangers2006 · as Agnes Menure
• Failure to Launch2006 · as Sue
• Rumor Has It...2005 · as Aunt Mitsy (uncredited)
• Six Feet Under: In Memoriam2005 · as Herself
• Ambulance Girl2005 · as Jane Stern
• Warm Springs2005 · as Helena Mahoney
• Hansel and Gretel2005 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Bridge of San Luis Rey2004 · as The Marquesa
• The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing2004 · as Narrator (voice)
• Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy2004 · as Siren / Sea Hag (voice)
• Little Black Book2004 · as Kippie Kann
• Around the World in 80 Days2004 · as Queen Victoria
• Tupperware!2004 · as Narrator
• Celebrity Naked Ambition2003 · as Self (archive footage)
• Declaration of Independence2003 · as Self
• Misery Loves Company2003 · as Self
• Love Liza2002 · as Mary Ann Bankhead
• About Schmidt2002 · as Roberta Hertzel
• Unconditional Love2002 · as Grace Beasley
• Dragonfly2002 · as Mrs. Belmont
• Making Rat Race2002 · as Herself
• My Sister's Keeper2002 · as Christine Chapman
• American Outlaws2001 · as Ma James
• Rat Race2001 · as The Squirrel Lady (uncredited)
• Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood2000 · as Frances Marion (voice)
• Bruno2000 · as Mother Superior
• Annie1999 · as Miss Agatha Hannigan
• Baby Steps1999 · as Mrs. Mellon
• A Civil Action1998 · as Bankruptcy Judge (uncredited)
• Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes1998 · as Self
• The Waterboy1998 · as Mama Boucher
• The Effects of Magic1998 · as Raphaella, the Magic Bunny
• Titanic: Breaking New Ground1998 · as Self
• Primary Colors1998 · as Libby Holden
• Swept from the Sea1998 · as Miss Swaffer
• Titanic1997 · as Molly Brown
• Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life1997 · as Self
• The War at Home1996 · as Maurine Collier
• Diabolique1996 · as Det. Shirley Vogel
• The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful1996 · as Self
• The Late Shift1996 · as Helen Kushnick
• The West Side Waltz1995 · as Mr. Goo
• Angus1995 · as Meg Bethune
• Talking With1995 · as Big Eight (segment "Rodeo")
• Dolores Claiborne1995 · as Dolores Claiborne
• Curse of the Starving Class1994 · as Ella Tate
• North1994 · as Alaskan Mom
• A Home of Our Own1993 · as Frances Lacey
• Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun1993 · as Lunar Mom
• Used People1992 · as Bibby Berman
• Hostages1992 · as Peggy Say
• Prelude to a Kiss1992 · as Leah Blier
• Fried Green Tomatoes1991 · as Evelyn Couch
• At Play in the Fields of the Lord1991 · as Hazel Quarrier
• Shadows and Fog1991 · as Prostitute
• The Road to Mecca1991 · as Elsa Barlow
• Misery1990 · as Annie Wilkes
• White Palace1990 · as Rosemary
• Dick Tracy1990 · as Mrs. Green
• Men Don't Leave1990 · as Lisa Coleman
• No Place Like Home1989 · as Bonnie Cooper
• High Stakes1989 · as Jill
• Roe vs. Wade1989 · as Jessie
• Signs of Life1989 · as Mary Beth Alder
• Arthur 2: On the Rocks1988 · as Mrs. Canby
• My Best Friend Is a Vampire1987 · as Helen Blake
• Summer Heat1987 · as Ruth
• Murder Ordained1987 · as Bobbi Birk
• The Morning After1986 · as Woman on Mateo Street
• Johnny Bull1986 · as Katherine Kovacs
• Two of a Kind1983 · as Furniture Man's Wife
• Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean1982 · as Stella Mae
• Straight Time1978 · as Selma Darin
• Taking Off1971 · as Audition Singer
• The Smack— · as Babs

All TV Shows (54)

• Matlock2024 · as Madeline 'Matty' Matlock
• Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter2023 · as Self
• The Jennifer Hudson Show2022 · as Self
• The Kelly Clarkson Show2019 · as Self
• Disjointed2017 · as Ruth
• FEUD2017 · as Joan Blondell
• Chelsea2016 · as Self
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self
• Lip Sync Battle2015 · as Self
• Variety Studio: Actors on Actors2014 · as Self
• American Horror Story2011 · as Delphine LaLaurie
• American Horror Story2011 · as Ethel Darling
• American Horror Story2011 · as Iris
• American Horror Story2011 · as Agnes Mary Winstead
• American Horror Story2011 · as Miriam Mead / Delphine LaLaurie
• Harry's Law2011 · as Harriet 'Harry' Korn
• Mike & Molly2010 · as Kay
• Alice2009 · as Queen of Hearts
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• Stand Up to Cancer2008 · as Self
• The Big Bang Theory2007 · as Mrs. Fowler
• Chelsea Lately2007 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Office2005 · as Jo Bennett
• American Dad!2005 · as D.O. Rothy (voice)
• Two and a Half Men2003 · as Charlie Harper
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show2003 · as Self
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self
• Six Feet Under2001 · as Bettina
• The View1997 · as Self
• King of the Hill1997 · as Patrol Officer Jane Cooper (voice)
• The Daily Show1996 · as Self
• 3rd Rock from the Sun1996 · as Charlotte Everly
• MADtv1995 · as Stuart's Grandma
• Inside the Actors Studio1994 · as Self
• The Stand1994 · as Rae Flowers (uncredited)
• Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories1992 · as Narrator (voice)
• American Experience1988 · as Narrator (voice)
• American Experience1988 · as Narrator
• China Beach1988
• Murder Ordained1987 · as Bobbi Birk
• L.A. Law1986 · as Charlotte Haley
• St. Elsewhere1982 · as Polly Miller
• Cagney & Lacey1982
• The Love Boat1977 · as Sally Allison
• Great Performances1971 · as Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Christine Chapman
• The Emmy Awards1949 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee / Presenter
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Audience Member
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Winner