Kathy Bates
Known for
One of the great character actresses of contemporary American cinema. Best Actress Oscar winner for 'Misery' (1990), where she played the terrifying Annie Wilkes, one of the great characters of horror cinema. She shone in 'Fried Green Tomatoes' (1991), 'Titanic' (1997) as Molly Brown, 'About Schmidt' (2002) and 'Midnight in Paris' (2011). A multiple Emmy winner for 'American Horror Story' (2011). American actress of extremely wide range between drama, comedy and horror, recognized for her naturalness, her interpretive force and her presence in some of the major productions of recent decades.
Kathy Bates
84 Movies
22 Series
One of the great character actresses of contemporary American cinema. Best Actress Oscar winner for 'Misery' (1990), where she played the terrifying Annie Wilkes, one of the great characters of horror cinema. She shone in 'Fried Green Tomatoes' (1991), 'Titanic' (1997) as Molly Brown, 'About Schmidt' (2002) and 'Midnight in Paris' (2011). A multiple Emmy winner for 'American Horror Story' (2011). American actress of extremely wide range between drama, comedy and horror, recognized for her naturalness, her interpretive force and her presence in some of the major productions of recent decades.
Movies
Plays Molly Brown
Titanic
1997
Plays Janet Benson (voice)
Bee Movie
2007
Plays Miss Sue
The Blind Side
2009
Plays Annie Wilkes
Misery
1990
Plays Hester (voice)
The Golden Compass
2007
Plays Regina Jackson
The Day the Earth Stood Still
2008
Plays Gertrude Stein
Midnight in Paris
2011
Plays Patricia
P.S. I Love You
2007
Plays Bitsy the Cow (voice)
Charlotte's Web
2006
Plays Evelyn Couch
Fried Green Tomatoes
1991
Plays Mrs. Green
Dick Tracy
1990
Plays Mrs. Helen Givings
Revolutionary Road
2008
Plays Sue
Failure to Launch
2006
Plays Queen Victoria
Around the World in 80 Days
2004
Plays Bobi Jewell
Richard Jewell
2019
Plays Mama Boucher
The Waterboy
1998
Plays Leila Ford
A Family Affair
2024
Plays Susan
Valentine's Day
2010
Plays Ida Marquette
The Boss
2016
Plays Ma Ferguson
The Highwaymen
2019
Plays Frances Lacey
A Home of Our Own
1993
Plays Mother Claus
Fred Claus
2007
Plays Mrs. Belmont
Dragonfly
2002
Plays Sunny Soke
Bad Santa 2
2016
Plays Roberta Hertzel
About Schmidt
2002
Plays Sylvia Simon
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
2023
Plays Rosemary
White Palace
1990
Plays Dorothy Kenyon
On the Basis of Sex
2018
Plays Alaskan Mom
North
1994
Plays Dolores Claiborne
Dolores Claiborne
1995
Plays Eileen Dunne
The Miracle Club
2023
Plays Selma Darin
Straight Time
1978
Plays Libby Holden
Primary Colors
1998
Plays Det. Shirley Vogel
Diabolique
1996
Plays Charlotte Cartwright
Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys
2008
Plays Ma James
American Outlaws
2001
Plays Gloria
Personal Effects
2009
Plays Barbara Haggermaker
The Death & Life of John F. Donovan
2019
Plays Ginny Moon
Summer Camp
2024
Plays Lenore
Tammy
2014
Plays Bryan's Mother
You May Not Kiss the Bride
2011
Plays Madame Peloux
Chéri
2009
Plays Maime Trotter
The Great Gilly Hopkins
2015
Plays Kippie Kann
Little Black Book
2004
Plays Nina
Complete Unknown
2016
Plays Beverly Corbett
A Little Bit of Heaven
2011
Plays Prostitute
Shadows and Fog
1991
Plays Miss Agatha Hannigan
Annie
1999
Plays Headmistress
Boychoir
2015
Plays Siren / Sea Hag (voice)
Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy
2004
TV Shows
Producer
Plays Madeline 'Matty' Matlock
Matlock
2024
Plays Harriet 'Harry' Korn
Harry's Law
2011
Plays Ruth
Disjointed
2017
Plays Delphine LaLaurie
American Horror Story
2011
Director
Plays Bettina
Six Feet Under
2001
Plays Jo Bennett
The Office
2005
Plays Joan Blondell
FEUD
2017
Plays Mrs. Fowler
The Big Bang Theory
2007
Plays Polly Miller
St. Elsewhere
1982
Plays Queen of Hearts
Alice
2009
Plays Bobbi Birk
Murder Ordained
1987
Plays Charlotte Haley
L.A. Law
1986
Plays Sally Allison
The Love Boat
1977
Plays Christine Chapman
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Plays Charlie Harper
Two and a Half Men
2003
Plays Charlotte Everly
3rd Rock from the Sun
1996
Plays Patrol Officer Jane Cooper (voice)
King of the Hill
1997
Plays D.O. Rothy (voice)
American Dad!
2005
Plays Kay
Mike & Molly
2010
Plays Stuart's Grandma
MADtv
1995
Plays Mary Beth Alder
American Playhouse
1982
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
The Great Lillian Hall
Full Filmography
Matlock
Madeline 'Matty' Matlock · 35 episodes
2024–
TV
The Great Lillian Hall
Edith Wilson
2024
Film
A Family Affair
Leila Ford
2024
Film
Summer Camp
Ginny Moon
2024
Film
The Miracle Club
Eileen Dunne
2023
Film
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
Sylvia Simon
2023
Film
Home
Bernadette
2021
Film
Richard Jewell
Bobi Jewell
2019
Film
The Highwaymen
Ma Ferguson
2019
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Kathy Bates and where are they from?
Kathy Bates is 78 years old, born on June 28, 1948 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
What are the most famous roles of Kathy Bates?
Kathy Bates is best known for roles in Titanic, Midnight in Paris, The Blind Side.
How many movies has Kathy Bates been in?
Over a 55-year career (since 1971), Kathy Bates has appeared in 82 movies and 22 TV shows.
What was Kathy Bates's first movie?
The career of Kathy Bates began with Taking Off (1971).
What is Kathy Bates's most recent movie or series?
Kathy Bates's most recent release is Rob Reiner – Scenes from a Life, which premiered on December 21, 2025.
What TV shows has Kathy Bates appeared in?
On television, Kathy Bates has appeared in The Big Bang Theory, American Horror Story, The Office, Two and a Half Men.
Kathy Bates
1948-06-28 · 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).