Known For
Acting
Known Credits
171
Gender
Female
Birthday
June 28, 1948 (78 years old)
Place of Birth
Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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).
| 2025 | Rob Reiner – Scenes from a Lifeas Self | |
| 2024 | Matlockas Madeline 'Matty' Matlock | |
| 2024 | The Great Lillian Hallas Edith Wilson | |
| 2024 | A Family Affairas Leila Ford | |
| 2024 | Summer Campas Ginny Moon | |
| 2023 | Off Script with The Hollywood Reporteras Self | |
| 2023 | Titanic: Stories from the Heartas Self (archive footage) | |
| 2023 | The Miracle Clubas Eileen Dunne | |
| 2023 | Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.as Sylvia Simon | |
| 2022 | The Jennifer Hudson Showas Self | |
| 2021 | Homeas Bernadette | |
| 2021 | Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthonyas Self (archive footage) | |
| 2019 | Richard Jewellas Bobi Jewell | |
| 2019 | The Kelly Clarkson Showas Self | |
| 2019 | The Highwaymenas Ma Ferguson | |
| 2019 | The Death & Life of John F. Donovanas Barbara Haggermaker | |
| 2018 | On the Basis of Sexas Dorothy Kenyon | |
| 2018 | Krystalas Vera | |
| 2017 | Disjointedas Ruth | |
| 2017 | FEUDas Joan Blondell | |
| 2016 | Bad Santa 2as Sunny Soke | |
| 2016 | Complete Unknownas Nina | |
| 2016 | Chelseaas Self | |
| 2016 | The Bossas Ida Marquette | |
| 2015 | The Great Gilly Hopkinsas Maime Trotter | |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbertas Self - Guest | |
| 2015 | Lip Sync Battleas Self | |
| 2015 | Boychoiras Headmistress | |
| 2014 | Variety Studio: Actors on Actorsas Self | |
| 2014 | Return to the 5 & Dime: An Interview with Ed Graczykas Self – Stella Mae (archive footage) | |
| 2014 | Tammyas Lenore | |
| 2012 | Cadaveras Beth | |
| 2012 | Reflections on Titanicas Self | |
| 2011 | American Horror Storyas Agnes Mary Winstead | |
| 2011 | American Horror Storyas Delphine LaLaurie | |
| 2011 | American Horror Storyas Ethel Darling | |
| 2011 | American Horror Storyas Iris | |
| 2011 | American Horror Storyas Miriam Mead / Delphine LaLaurie | |
| 2011 | Midnight in Parisas Gertrude Stein | |
| 2011 | You May Not Kiss the Brideas Bryan's Mother | |
| 2011 | A Little Bit of Heavenas Beverly Corbett | |
| 2011 | Harry's Lawas Harriet 'Harry' Korn | |
| 2010 | Mike & Mollyas Kay | |
| 2010 | Valentine's Dayas Susan | |
| 2009 | The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Clubas Pancho Barnes (Voice) | |
| 2009 | Aliceas Queen of Hearts | |
| 2009 | The Blind Sideas Miss Sue | |
| 2009 | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohenas Self - Guest | |
| 2009 | Chérias Madame Peloux | |
| 2009 | Personal Effectsas Gloria | |
| 2008 | Revolutionary Roadas Mrs. Helen Givings | |
| 2008 | The Day the Earth Stood Stillas Regina Jackson | |
| 2008 | Tyler Perry's The Family That Preysas Charlotte Cartwright | |
| 2008 | Stand Up to Canceras Self | |
| 2007 | The Golden Compassas Hester (voice) | |
| 2007 | P.S. I Love Youas Patricia | |
| 2007 | Fred Clausas Mother Claus | |
| 2007 | Bee Movieas Janet Benson (voice) | |
| 2007 | Christmas Is Here Againas Miss Dowdy (voice) | |
| 2007 | The Big Bang Theoryas Mrs. Fowler | |
| 2007 | Guilty Heartsas The Judge | |
| 2007 | Chelsea Latelyas Self (archive footage) | |
| 2006 | Charlotte's Webas Bitsy the Cow (voice) | |
| 2006 | Bonnevilleas Margene Cunningham | |
| 2006 | Relative Strangersas Agnes Menure | |
| 2006 | Failure to Launchas Sue | |
| 2005 | Rumor Has It...as Aunt Mitsy (uncredited) | |
| 2005 | Six Feet Under: In Memoriamas Herself | |
| 2005 | Ambulance Girlas Jane Stern | |
| 2005 | Warm Springsas Helena Mahoney | |
| 2005 | The Officeas Jo Bennett | |
| 2005 | American Dad!as D.O. Rothy (voice) | |
| 2005 | Hansel and Gretelas Narrator (voice) | |
| 2004 | The Bridge of San Luis Reyas The Marquesa | |
| 2004 | The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editingas Narrator (voice) | |
| 2004 | Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappyas Siren / Sea Hag (voice) | |
| 2004 | Little Black Bookas Kippie Kann | |
| 2004 | Around the World in 80 Daysas Queen Victoria | |
| 2004 | Tupperware!as Narrator | |
| 2003 | Two and a Half Menas Charlie Harper | |
| 2003 | The Ellen DeGeneres Showas Self | |
| 2003 | Celebrity Naked Ambitionas Self (archive footage) | |
| 2003 | Declaration of Independenceas Self | |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live!as Self - Guest | |
| 2003 | Misery Loves Companyas Self | |
| 2002 | Love Lizaas Mary Ann Bankhead | |
| 2002 | About Schmidtas Roberta Hertzel | |
| 2002 | Unconditional Loveas Grace Beasley | |
| 2002 | Dragonflyas Mrs. Belmont | |
| 2002 | Making Rat Raceas Herself | |
| 2002 | My Sister's Keeperas Christine Chapman | |
| 2001 | American Outlawsas Ma James | |
| 2001 | Rat Raceas The Squirrel Lady (uncredited) | |
| 2001 | Six Feet Underas Bettina | |
| 2000 | Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywoodas Frances Marion (voice) | |
| 2000 | Brunoas Mother Superior | |
| 1999 | Annieas Miss Agatha Hannigan | |
| 1999 | Baby Stepsas Mrs. Mellon | |
| 1998 | A Civil Actionas Bankruptcy Judge (uncredited) | |
| 1998 | Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoesas Self | |
| 1998 | The Waterboyas Mama Boucher | |
| 1998 | The Effects of Magicas Raphaella, the Magic Bunny | |
| 1998 | Titanic: Breaking New Groundas Self | |
| 1998 | Primary Colorsas Libby Holden | |
| 1998 | Swept from the Seaas Miss Swaffer | |
| 1997 | Titanicas Molly Brown | |
| 1997 | The Viewas Self | |
| 1997 | Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Lifeas Self | |
| 1997 | King of the Hillas Patrol Officer Jane Cooper (voice) | |
| 1996 | The War at Homeas Maurine Collier | |
| 1996 | The Daily Showas Self | |
| 1996 | Diaboliqueas Det. Shirley Vogel | |
| 1996 | The Good, The Bad, and the Beautifulas Self | |
| 1996 | The Late Shiftas Helen Kushnick | |
| 1996 | 3rd Rock from the Sunas Charlotte Everly | |
| 1995 | The West Side Waltzas Mr. Goo | |
| 1995 | MADtvas Stuart's Grandma | |
| 1995 | Angusas Meg Bethune | |
| 1995 | Talking Withas Big Eight (segment "Rodeo") | |
| 1995 | Dolores Claiborneas Dolores Claiborne | |
| 1994 | Curse of the Starving Classas Ella Tate | |
| 1994 | Inside the Actors Studioas Self | |
| 1994 | Northas Alaskan Mom | |
| 1994 | The Standas Rae Flowers (uncredited) | |
| 1993 | A Home of Our Ownas Frances Lacey | |
| 1993 | Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begunas Lunar Mom | |
| 1992 | Used Peopleas Bibby Berman | |
| 1992 | Hostagesas Peggy Say | |
| 1992 | Prelude to a Kissas Leah Blier | |
| 1992 | Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Storiesas Narrator (voice) | |
| 1991 | Fried Green Tomatoesas Evelyn Couch | |
| 1991 | At Play in the Fields of the Lordas Hazel Quarrier | |
| 1991 | Shadows and Fogas Prostitute | |
| 1991 | The Road to Meccaas Elsa Barlow | |
| 1990 | Miseryas Annie Wilkes | |
| 1990 | White Palaceas Rosemary | |
| 1990 | Dick Tracyas Mrs. Green | |
| 1990 | Men Don't Leaveas Lisa Coleman | |
| 1989 | No Place Like Homeas Bonnie Cooper | |
| 1989 | High Stakesas Jill | |
| 1989 | Roe vs. Wadeas Jessie | |
| 1989 | Signs of Lifeas Mary Beth Alder | |
| 1988 | American Experienceas Narrator | |
| 1988 | American Experienceas Narrator (voice) | |
| 1988 | Arthur 2: On the Rocksas Mrs. Canby | |
| 1988 | China Beachas | |
| 1987 | My Best Friend Is a Vampireas Helen Blake | |
| 1987 | Summer Heatas Ruth | |
| 1987 | Murder Ordainedas Bobbi Birk | |
| 1987 | Murder Ordainedas Bobbi Birk | |
| 1986 | The Morning Afteras Woman on Mateo Street | |
| 1986 | L.A. Lawas Charlotte Haley | |
| 1986 | Johnny Bullas Katherine Kovacs | |
| 1983 | Two of a Kindas Furniture Man's Wife | |
| 1982 | Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Deanas Stella Mae | |
| 1982 | St. Elsewhereas Polly Miller | |
| 1982 | Cagney & Laceyas | |
| 1978 | Straight Timeas Selma Darin | |
| 1977 | The Love Boatas Sally Allison | |
| 1971 | Taking Offas Audition Singer | |
| 1971 | Great Performancesas Self | |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carsonas Self | |
| 1953 | The Oscarsas Self | |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall of Fameas Christine Chapman | |
| 1949 | The Emmy Awardsas Self | |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awardsas Self | |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awardsas Self - Audience Member | |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awardsas Self - Nominee | |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awardsas Self - Nominee / Presenter | |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awardsas Self - Winner | |
| The Smackas Babs |
| 2024 | Matlock...Executive Producer | |
| 2024 | The Great Lillian Hall...Executive Producer | |
| 2005 | Ambulance Girl...Director | |
| 2003 | Fargo...Director | |
| 2002 | Everwood...Director | |
| 2001 | Six Feet Under...Director | |
| 1999 | Dash and Lilly...Director | |
| 1997 | Oz...Director | |
| 1995 | Talking With...Director | |
| 1993 | NYPD Blue...Director | |
| 1993 | Homicide: Life on the Street...Director |
