Biography
To the general moviegoer, Kathy Bates seemed to materialize from nowhere, giving an Academy Award-winning performance as a psychotic literary fan-turned-kidnapper in the screen adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery" in 1990. Unbeknownst to those outside theater circles, Bates had already enjoyed an over 20-year career as a Tony Award-winning actress on Broadway. Even more impressive, she was over 40 when she first made a dent in Hollywood; a …
Kathy Bates SlideShow
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Career Milestones
| Acted on stage in "The Art of Dining" | ||
| Raised in Memphis, TN | ||
1970 | Moved to NYC to pursue career | |
1971 | Feature film debut in bit role as a singer auditioning in Milos Forman's "Taking Off"; also wrote song "And Even Horses Had Wings" she performed in film; credited as Bobo Bates | |
1973 | Stage debut as a duck in "Virginia Folk Tales" at Wayside Children's Theatre in Middletown, VA | |
1976 | Off-Broadway debut as Joanne, one of the Texas Southern belles in the three-character drama "Vanities" | |
1977 | Made TV debut on an episode of "The Love Boat" (ABC) | |
1977 | Reprised her stage role in L.A. production of "Vanities" | |
1978 | Was a member of the company of the Actors Theatre of Louisville (Kentucky); appeared in Beth Henley's "Crimes of the Heart" | |
1980 | Made Broadway debut in support of Jane Alexander in the short-lived production "Goodbye Fidel" | |
1981 | Appeared in the Actors Theatre of Louisville production of "Extremities" | |
1982 | Originated role of Stella May in the short-lived Broadway production of "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean"; staged by Robert Altman; reprised part in Altman's film version | |
1983 | Starred on Broadway in "'night Mother"; received Tony nomination for her portrayal of a depressed woman bent on suicide | |
1984 | Played Belle, the cellmate of Erica Kane on the ABC daytime drama "All My Children" | |
1986 | TV-movie debut, "Johnny Bull" (ABC) | |
1987 | Cast in supporting role in the CBS miniseries "Murder Ordained" | |
1987 | Starred off-Broadway and in Los Angeles (1988) in "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune" in a role written for her by playwright Terrence McNally | |
1988 | Appeared in a two-part episode of the ABC drama "China Beach" | |
1988 | Replaced Amy Irving in the off-Broadway production of Athol Fugard's play "The Road to Mecca"; reprised role in 1981 feature version | |
1990 | Made breakthrough screen performance as obsessed fan Annie Wilkes in feature adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery" | |
1991 | Co-starred with Jessica Tandy in "Fried Green Tomatoes" | |
1992 | Played supporting role in "Prelude to a Kiss" | |
1994 | Made uncredited appearance in the ABC miniseries "Stephen King's The Stand" | |
1995 | Starred as the title character, a woman accused of murder in the feature adaptation of King's "Dolores Claiborne" | |
1995 | TV directorial debut, the PBS production "Talking With"; also acted in one segment | |
1996 | Cast as the tenacious police woman investigating the disappearance of the school's headmaster in the remake of "Diabolique" | |
1996 | Helmed episodes of "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "NYPD Blue" | |
1996 | Portrayed Jay Leno's manager Helen Kushnick in the HBO movie "The Late Shift" | |
1997 | Directed the failed pilot "Fargo" | |
1997 | Portrayed 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown' in James Cameron's blockbuster "Titanic" | |
1998 | Delivered a scene-stealing supporting turn as a political advisor Libby Holden in "Primary Colors" | |
1998 | Directed an episode of the HBO series "Oz" | |
1998 | Portrayed Adam Sandler's mother in the suprise hit "The Waterboy" | |
1999 | Helmed the TV-movie "Dash & Lilly" (A&E) about Dashiell Hammett and Lillian Hellman | |
1999 | Starred as Miss Hannigan in Disney's remake of "Annie" (ABC) | |
2001 | Portrayed the mother of the James brothers in the revisionist Western "American Outlaws" | |
2002 | Co-starred in the television feature "My Sister's Keeper" | |
2002 | Had a bravura turn as the future in-law to Jack Nicholson in "About Schmidt" | |
2002 | Landed recurring role as Bettina on the acclaimed HBO series "Six Feet Under"; also directed episodes | |
2002 | Played a fan who helps the male lover of a murdered pop star investigate the killing in "Who Shot Victor Fox?" | |
2004 | Played Queen Victoria in the Disney live action feature "Around the World in 80 Days" based on the classic novel by Jules Verne | |
2004 | Starred with Brittany Murphy in the romantic comedy "Little Black Book" | |
2005 | Cast in Rob Reiner's "Rumor Has It" with Kevin Costner and Jennifer Aniston | |
2005 | Earned an Emmy nomination for her role as FDR's physical therapist in the HBO Films original movie "Warm Springs" | |
2006 | Earned an Emmy nomination for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for "Ambulance Girl" | |
2006 | Voiced Bitsy the cow in live-action/computer-animated feature film "Charlotte's Web," based on the book by E.B. White | |
2007 | Cast as Mother Claus opposite Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti in the comedy "Fred Claus" | |
2007 | Voiced one of the winged characters in the computer-animated "Bee Movie" | |
2008 | Cast as the Secretary of Defense in the remake of the 1951 science fiction movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still" | |
2008 | Re-teamed with "Titanic" co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet for "Revolutionary Road" | |
2009 | Co-starred as Miss Sue, Oher's tutor in "The Blind Side" opposite Sandra Bullock | |
2009 | Co-starred with Michelle Pfeiffer in Stephen Frears' "Cheri" | |
2009 | Played the Queen of Hearts in SyFy's "Alice" | |
2010 | Played a 'love therapist' in the Garry Marshall directed romantic comedy "Valentine's Day" | |
2011 | Cast as Gertrude Stein in Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" | |
2011 | Landed first role as a series regular in "Harry's Law" (NBC) | |
2011 | Nominated for the 2011 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in Drama Series | |
2012 | Co-starred in the romantic drama "A Little Bit of Heaven" | |
Awards
1990 | Academy Award for Actress In a Leading Role in Misery |
1990 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama in Misery |
1991 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Fried Green Tomatoes |
1992 | BAFTA Award for Actress In a Supporting Role in Fried Green Tomatoes |
1996 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in The Late Shift |
1996 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Miniseries or Special in The Late Shift |
1997 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in The Late Shift |
1998 | Academy Award for Actress In a Supporting Role in Primary Colors |
1998 | BAFTA Award for Actress In a Supporting Role in Primary Colors |
1998 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in Primary Colors |
1998 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Primary Colors |
1998 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Titanic |
1999 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Annie (TV) |
1999 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing For a Miniseries or a Movie in Dash and Lilly |
1999 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Comedy Series in 3rd Rock From the Sun |
1999 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Primary Colors |
2000 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Miniseries or Movie in Annie (TV) |
2000 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Annie (TV) |
2002 | Academy Award for Actress In a Supporting Role in About Schmidt |
2002 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in About Schmidt |
2002 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in About Schmidt |
2002 | National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress in About Schmidt |
2003 | Directors Guild of America Award for Dramatic Series Night in Six Feet Under |
2003 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Drama Series in Six Feet Under |
2003 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in About Schmidt |
2003 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in My Sister's Keeper |
2005 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Miniseries or Movie in Warm Springs |
2006 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie in Ambulance Girl |
2009 | Palm Springs International Film Festival for Ensemble Cast Award in Revolutionary Road |
2010 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Miniseries or Movie in Alice |
2011 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in Harry's Law |
2011 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Midnight in Paris |
2011 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in Harry's Law |
2012 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Comedy Series in Two and a Half Men |
2012 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in Harry's Law |