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