• Faith: Christian
• Career: Actress
• Birthday:  June 28, 1948

Kathy Bates is an iconic actress and director. Bates is best known for her dramatic and comedic roles in film and television, receiving numerous accolades, including two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and two Primetime Emmys.

Kathleen Doyle Bates was born on June 28, 1948, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Langdon Doyle Bates and Bertye Kathleen Bates. Raised in the Southern city known for its musical and cultural heritage, Bates was the youngest of three sisters. Growing up in a close-knit family, she developed an early love for storytelling and the arts. Her father was a mechanical engineer, and her mother was a homemaker, and both parents encouraged her creative pursuits.

Bates’ interest in acting began in her teenage years. She attended White Station High School in Memphis, where she was involved in various theater productions. After high school, she enrolled at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, to study theater. It was there that her passion for the stage grew, and she set her sights on pursuing acting as a professional career.

After college, Bates made the bold decision to move to New York City to pursue acting. However, like many aspiring actors, she faced significant challenges early on. For years, Bates struggled to find work, often relegated to small roles or overlooked entirely due to her unconventional looks. Despite the obstacles, she remained determined and continued to audition, driven by her love for performing.

Her big break finally came in 1990 when she was cast as the obsessive fan Annie Wilkes in the psychological thriller "Misery,", based on Stephen King’s novel. Bates’ performance was nothing short of phenomenal, and it earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her portrayal of Wilkes cemented her place in Hollywood.

From there, Bates’ career soared. She took on a wide variety of roles, ranging from comedies to dramas, both on stage and in film. Some of her most memorable roles include appearances in "Fried Green Tomatoes" (1991), "Dolores Claiborne" (1995), "Titanic" (1997), and "Primary Colors" (1998). Bates became known for her commanding presence on screen and her ability to bring emotional depth to any character she portrayed.

Kathy Bates’ body of work has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards throughout her career. In addition to her Academy Award for "Misery," she has received multiple nominations and wins for other notable performances.

Bates has been nominated for the Academy Award four times in total, earning additional nominations for her roles in "Primary Colors," "About Schmidt" (2002), and "Richard Jewell" (2019). Her versatility as an actress also extends to television, where she has been awarded two Primetime Emmy Awards, including one for her role in "American Horror Story" and another for her guest appearance on "Two and a Half Men."

Kathy Bates has also faced significant personal health battles throughout her life, most notably her fight against ovarian cancer. In 2003, Bates was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a diagnosis she initially kept private as she underwent treatment. In true Kathy Bates fashion, she approached her illness with strength and determination, eventually overcoming the disease after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy.

Unfortunately, her health struggles did not end there. In 2012, Bates was diagnosed with breast cancer and made the difficult decision to undergo a double mastectomy. During her recovery, she developed lymphedema, a painful and often debilitating condition that causes swelling in the arms or legs due to the removal of lymph nodes.

Rather than shy away from discussing her health struggles, Bates has become an outspoken advocate for cancer awareness and lymphedema research. She works with the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN), using her platform to bring attention to the condition and raise funds for research.

In 2024, Bates announced that she planned to retire from acting after filming a "Matlock" reboot, which she called her "last dance."

Is Kathy Bates Religious?

Bates is a member of the United Methodist Church. She studied theater at Southern Methodist University before moving to New York City to pursue an acting career. While discussing her time at SMU, Bates said, “It was such a great time to be there and to learn and to be trained, and to be taken seriously, to want to be an actor. It was a great school to attend, and they gave me a great start.”

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