Kathy Bates biography
Kathy Bates is an American film actress and director, born on 28 June 1948 in Memphis.
Kathy Bates's screen career began in 1971 with Taking Off, playing Audition Singer.
Kathy Bates has appeared in 118 films and 45 television or streaming titles.
The most recent films are A Family Affair (2024), Summer Camp (2024), The Miracle Club (2023).
Honours include Academy Award for Best Actress, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role.
- Born
- 28 June 1948 (age 78)
- Birthplace
- Memphis
- Work
- Film actor, Film director, Character actor, Stage actor, Television actor
- Film industries
- Hollywood and beyond
- Years active
- 1969 to present
- Awards
- Academy Award for Best Actress
- Golden Globes
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Kathy Bates filmography
118 films and 45 television or streaming titles, newest first.
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | A Family Affair | Leila Ford | ||
| 2024 | Summer Camp | Ginny Moon | ||
| 2023 | The Miracle Club | Eileen Dunne | ||
| 2023 | Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret | Sylvia Simon | ||
| 2020 | Home | Bernadette | ||
| 2019 | Richard Jewell | Bobi Jewell | ||
| 2019 | The Highwaymen | Miriam A. Ferguson | ||
| 2018 | On the Basis of Sex | Dorothy Kenyon | ||
| 2018 | The Death and Life of John F. Donovan | English | ||
| 2018 | The Death & Life of John F. Donovan | Barbara Haggermaker | ||
| 2017 | Krystal | Vera | ||
| 2016 | Bad Santa 2 | Sunny Soke | ||
| 2016 | Complete Unknown | Nina | ||
| 2016 | The Boss | Ida Marquette | ||
| 2015 | The Great Gilly Hopkins | Maime Trotter | ||
| 2015 | Boychoir | Headmistress | ||
| 2014 | Tammy | Lenore | ||
| 2014 | When Marnie Was There | Mrs. Kadoya | Voice | |
| 2012 | Cadaver | Beth | Short film; Voice | |
| 2011 | Midnight in Paris | Gertrude Stein | ||
| 2011 | You May Not Kiss the Bride | Mrs. Lighthouse | ||
| 2011 | A Little Bit of Heaven | Beverly Corbett | ||
| 2010 | Valentine's Day | Susan Milton | ||
| 2009 | The Blind Side | Miss Sue | ||
| 2009 | Chéri | Madame Charlotte Peloux |
Show all 118 films
| Year | Title | Role | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club | Narrator | Documentary | |
| 2008 | Revolutionary Road | Helen Givings | ||
| 2008 | The Day the Earth Stood Still | Secretary of Defense Regina Jackson | ||
| 2008 | The Family That Preys | Charlotte Cartwright | ||
| 2008 | Personal Effects | Gloria | ||
| 2007 | P.S. I Love You | Patricia Reilly | ||
| 2007 | Fred Claus | Mother Claus | ||
| 2007 | Christmas Is Here Again | Miss Dowdy | Voice | |
| 2007 | The Golden Compass | Hester | Voice | |
| 2007 | Bee Movie | Janet Benson | Voice | |
| 2006 | Charlotte's Web | Bitsy | Voice | |
| 2006 | Failure to Launch | Sue | ||
| 2006 | Relative Strangers | Agnes Menure | ||
| 2006 | Bonneville | Margene Cunningham | ||
| 2006 | Guilty Hearts | The Judge | ||
| 2006 | Solace | Marrow's Wife | Short film | |
| 2006 | Master Class | Maria Callas | Stage reading; Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway | |
| 2006 | Have Mercy | |||
| 2005 | Rumor Has It | Aunt Mitsy | Uncredited cameo | |
| 2005 | Hansel and Gretel | Narrator | Direct-to-video | |
| 2004 | The Bridge of San Luis Rey | The Marquesa | ||
| 2004 | Around the World in 80 Days | Queen Victoria | ||
| 2004 | The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing | Narrator | Documentary | |
| 2004 | Little Black Book | Kippie Kann | ||
| 2004 | The Ingrate | The Judge | Short film | |
| 2004 | Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy | Sea Hag, Siren | Voice | |
| 2003 | The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story | English | ||
| 2003 | Fargo | Unsold TV pilot | ||
| 2002 | Dragonfly | Mrs. Miriam Belmont | ||
| 2002 | Unconditional Love | Grace Beasley | ||
| 2002 | Love Liza | Mary Ann Bankhead | ||
| 2002 | About Schmidt | Roberta Hertzel | ||
| 2002 | Everwood | Episode: "The Great Doctor Brown" | ||
| 2001 | Rat Race | The Squirrel Lady | Uncredited cameo | |
| 2001 | American Outlaws | Ma James | ||
| 2001 | Six Feet Under | 5 episodes | ||
| 2000 | Bruno | Mother Superior | ||
| 2000 | Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood | Narrator | Documentary | |
| 1999 | Dash and Lilly | |||
| 1999 | Baby Steps | Mrs. Mellon | Short film | |
| 1998 | The Waterboy | Helen "Mama" Boucher | ||
| 1998 | Primary Colors | Libby Holden | ||
| 1998 | The Effects of Magic | Raphaella, the Magic Bunny | Voice | |
| 1998 | A Civil Action | Bankruptcy Judge | Uncredited cameo | |
| 1998 | Oz | Episode: "Family Bizness" | ||
| 1997 | Titanic | Margaret “Molly” Brown | ||
| 1997 | Swept from the Sea | Miss Swaffer | ||
| 1997 | NYPD Blue | Episode: "I Love Lucy" | ||
| 1996 | The War at Home | Maurine Collier | ||
| 1996 | Diabolique | Det. Shirley Vogel | ||
| 1996 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Episode: "Scene of the Crime" | ||
| 1995 | Angus | Meg Bethune | ||
| 1995 | Dolores Claiborne | Dolores Claiborne | ||
| 1995 | Great Performances | Episode: "Talking With" | ||
| 1994 | North | Alaskan Mom | ||
| 1994 | Curse of the Starving Class | Ella Tate | ||
| 1993 | Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun | Lunar Mom | Direct-to-video | |
| 1993 | A Home of Our Own | Frances Lacey | ||
| 1992 | Prelude to a Kiss | Leah Blier | ||
| 1992 | Used People | Bibby Berman | ||
| 1991 | Fried Green Tomatoes | Evelyn Couch | ||
| 1991 | Shadows and Fog | Prostitute | ||
| 1991 | At Play in the Fields of the Lord | Hazel Quarrier | ||
| 1991 | The Road to Mecca | Elsa Barlow | ||
| 1990 | Men Don't Leave | Lisa Coleman | ||
| 1990 | White Palace | Rosemary Powers | ||
| 1990 | Misery | Annie Wilkes | ||
| 1990 | Dick Tracy | Mrs. Green | ||
| 1989 | Signs of Life | Mary Beth Alder | ||
| 1989 | High Stakes | Jill | ||
| 1988 | The Road to Mecca | Elsa Barlow (replacement) | Promenade Theatre; Off-Broadway | |
| 1988 | Arthur 2: On the Rocks | Mrs. Canby | ||
| 1987 | Summer Heat | Ruth Stanton | ||
| 1987 | My Best Friend Is a Vampire | Helen Blake | Credited as Kathy D. Bates | |
| 1987 | Murder Ordained | Bobbi Birk | ||
| 1987 | Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune | Frankie | Manhattan Theatre Club, Off-Broadway | |
| 1986 | The Morning After | Woman on Mateo Street | ||
| 1985 | Curse of the Starving Class | Ella | Promenade Theatre, Off-Broadway | |
| 1985 | The Rain of Terror | Oletta Crews | Actors Theatre of Louisville | |
| 1983 | Two of a Kind | Furniture Man's Wife | ||
| 1982 | Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean | English | ||
| 1982 | Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean | Stella Mae | ||
| 1982 | 'night, Mother | Jessie Cates | American Repertory Theatre | |
| 1981 | Chocolate Cake | performer | Actors Theatre of Louisville | |
| 1980 | Goodbye Fidel | Isabel | New Ambassador Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1980 | Fifth of July | June Talley (replacement) | New Apollo Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1979 | The Art of Dining | Herrick Simmons | The Public Theater, Off-Broadway | |
| 1979 | Crimes of the Heart | Lenny Magrath | Actors Theatre of Louisville | |
| 1978 | Straight Time | Selma Darin | ||
| 1976 | Vanities | Joanne | Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway | |
| 1975 | Casserole | Performer | Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway | |
| 1975 | A Quality of Mercy | Performer | Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway | |
| 1971 | Taking Off | Audition Singer | Credited as Bobo Bates |
Television and streaming
| Year | Title | Role | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | American Horror Story: 13 | Delphine LaLaurie | Episode: "Hell No" | |
| 2024 | The Great Lillian Hall | Edith Wilson | Also executive producer | |
| 2024 | Matlock | Madeline "Matty" Matlock / Madeline Kingston | Lead role; 35 episodes and executive producer | |
| 2018 | The Bow Tie Asymmetry | English | ||
| 2018 | The Big Bang Theory | Mrs. Fowler | 3 episodes | |
| 2018 | American Horror Story: Apocalypse | Miriam Mead | Main role; 10 episodes | |
| 2017 | Feud: Bette and Joan | Joan Blondell | Recurring role; 5 episodes | |
| 2017 | Disjointed | Ruth Whitefeather Feldman | 20 episodes | |
| 2016 | American Horror Story: Roanoke | Thomasin White / The Butcher | Main role; 5 episodes | |
| 2015 | American Horror Story: Hotel | Iris | Main role; 11 episodes | |
| 2015 | American Dad! | D.O. Rothy | Voice, episode: "Manhattan Magical Murder Mystery Tour" | |
| 2014 | Mike & Molly | Kay McKinnon | 2 episodes | |
| 2014 | American Horror Story: Freak Show | Ethel Darling | Main role; 10 episodes | |
| 2013 | American Horror Story: Coven | Delphine LaLaurie | Main role; 10 episodes | |
| 2012 | Two and a Half Men | Ghost of Charlie Harper | Episode: "Why We Gave Up Women" | |
| 2011 | Harry's Law | Harriet Korn | Lead role; 34 episodes | |
| 2010 | The Office | Jo Bennett | 8 episodes | |
| 2009 | Alice | Queen of Hearts | 2 episodes | |
| 2005 | Warm Springs | Helena Mahoney | ||
| 2005 | Ambulance Girl | Jane Stern | ||
| 2004 | American Experience | Narrator | Episode: "Tupperware!" | |
| 2003 | Six Feet Under | Bettina | 10 episodes | |
| 2002 | My Sister's Keeper | Christine Chapman | ||
| 2001 | King of the Hill | Police Officer | Voice, episode: "Lupe's Revenge" | |
| 2000 | Possessed | Student | Credited as Katherine Bates |
Show all 45 titles
| Year | Title | Role | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | MADtv | Stuart's Grandma | Episode: "#6.2" | |
| 1999 | Annie | Miss Agatha Hannigan | ||
| 1999 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Charlotte Everly | Episode: "Alien Hunter" | |
| 1997 | Adventures from the Book of Virtues | Mother | Voice, episode: "Respect" | |
| 1996 | The Late Shift | Helen Kushnick | ||
| 1995 | The West Side Waltz | Mrs. Goo | ||
| 1994 | The Stand | Rae Flowers | Episode: "The Plague"; uncredited | |
| 1993 | American Experience | Narrator | Episode: "Amelia Earhart: The Price of Courage" | |
| 1992 | Hostages | Peggy Say | ||
| 1989 | Roe vs. Wade | Jessie | ||
| 1989 | No Place Like Home | Boonie Cooper | ||
| 1989 | L.A. Law | Charlotte Haley | Episode: "One Rat, One Ranger" | |
| 1989 | China Beach | Nurse Jan Wyatt | Episode: "The World (Part 2)" | |
| 1986 | St. Elsewhere | Polly | 2 episodes | |
| 1986 | Johnny Bull | Katherine Kovacs | ||
| 1986 | Cagney & Lacey | Brenda Harris | Episode: "Revenge" | |
| 1984 | One Life to Live | Evelyn Maddox | Episode: "December 17, 1984" | |
| 1984 | All My Children | Belle Bodelle | Unknown episode | |
| 1978 | The Love Boat | Sally Allison | ||
| 1978 | The Doctors | Phyllis | Episodes aired June 28 & 30, July 3 & 4 |