06/28/1948
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).
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Rob Reiner – Scenes from a Life (2025) as Self |
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The Great Lillian Hall (2024) as Edith Wilson |
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A Family Affair (2024) as Leila Ford |
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Summer Camp (2024) as Ginny Moon |
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Titanic: Stories from the Heart (2023) as Self (archive footage) |
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The Miracle Club (2023) as Eileen Dunne |
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023) as Sylvia Simon |
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Home (2021) as Bernadette |
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Hannibal Hopkins et Sir Anthony (2021) as Self (archive footage) |
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Richard Jewell (2019) as Bobi Jewell |
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The Highwaymen (2019) as Ma Ferguson |
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The Death & Life of John F. Donovan (2019) as Barbara Haggermaker |
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On the Basis of Sex (2018) as Dorothy Kenyon |
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Krystal (2018) as Vera |
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Bad Santa 2 (2016) as Sunny Soke |
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Complete Unknown (2016) as Nina |
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The Boss (2016) as Ida Marquette |
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The Great Gilly Hopkins (2015) as Maime Trotter |
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Boychoir (2015) as Headmistress |
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Return to the 5 & Dime: An Interview with Ed Graczyk (2014) as Self – Stella Mae (archive footage) |
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Tammy (2014) as Lenore |
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Cadaver (2012) as Beth |
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Reflections on Titanic (2012) as Self |
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Midnight in Paris (2011) as Gertrude Stein |
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You May Not Kiss the Bride (2011) as Bryan's Mother |
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A Little Bit of Heaven (2011) as Beverly Corbett |
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Valentine's Day (2010) as Susan Milton |
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The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club (2009) as Pancho Barnes (Voice) |
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The Blind Side (2009) as Miss Sue |
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Chéri (2009) as Madame Peloux |
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Personal Effects (2009) as Gloria |
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Revolutionary Road (2008) as Mrs. Helen Givings |
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The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) as Regina Jackson |
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Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys (2008) as Charlotte Cartwright |
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The Golden Compass (2007) as Hester (voice) |
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P.S. I Love You (2007) as Patricia |
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Fred Claus (2007) as Mother Claus |
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Bee Movie (2007) as Janet Benson (voice) |
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Christmas Is Here Again (2007) as Miss Dowdy (voice) |
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Guilty Hearts (2007) as The Judge |
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Charlotte's Web (2006) as Bitsy the Cow (voice) |
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Bonneville (2006) as Margene Cunningham |
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Relative Strangers (2006) as Agnes Menure |
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Failure to Launch (2006) as Sue |
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Rumor Has It... (2005) as Aunt Mitsy (uncredited) |
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Six Feet Under: In Memoriam (2005) as Herself |
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Ambulance Girl (2005) as Jane Stern |
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Warm Springs (2005) as Helena Mahoney |
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Hansel and Gretel (2005) as Narrator (voice) |
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The Bridge of San Luis Rey (2004) as The Marquesa |
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The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004) as Narrator (voice) |
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Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy (2004) as Siren / Sea Hag (voice) |
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Little Black Book (2004) as Kippie Kann |
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Around the World in 80 Days (2004) as Queen Victoria |
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Celebrity Naked Ambition (2003) as Self (archive footage) |
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Declaration of Independence (2003) as Self |
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Misery Loves Company (2003) as Self |
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Love Liza (2002) as Mary Ann Bankhead |
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About Schmidt (2002) as Roberta Hertzel |
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Unconditional Love (2002) as Grace Beasley |
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Dragonfly (2002) as Mrs. Belmont |
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Making Rat Race (2002) as Herself |
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My Sister's Keeper (2002) as Christine Chapman |
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American Outlaws (2001) as Ma James |
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Rat Race (2001) as The Squirrel Lady (uncredited) |
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Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood (2000) as Frances Marion (voice) |
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Bruno (2000) as Mother Superior |
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Annie (1999) as Miss Agatha Hannigan |
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Baby Steps (1999) as Mrs. Mellon |
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A Civil Action (1998) as Bankruptcy Judge (uncredited) |
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Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes (1998) as Self |
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The Waterboy (1998) as Mama Boucher |
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The Effects of Magic (1998) as Raphaella, the Magic Bunny |
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Titanic: Breaking New Ground (1998) as Self |
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Primary Colors (1998) as Libby Holden |
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Swept from the Sea (1998) as Miss Swaffer |
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Titanic (1997) as Molly Brown |
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Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life (1997) as Self |
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The War at Home (1996) as Maurine Collier |
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Diabolique (1996) as Det. Shirley Vogel |
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The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful (1996) as Self |
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The Late Shift (1996) as Helen Kushnick |
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The West Side Waltz (1995) as Mr. Goo |
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Angus (1995) as Meg Bethune |
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Talking With (1995) as Big Eight (segment "Rodeo") |
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Dolores Claiborne (1995) as Dolores Claiborne |
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Curse of the Starving Class (1994) as Ella Tate |
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North (1994) as Alaskan Mom |
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Tupperware! (1994) as Narrator |
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A Home of Our Own (1993) as Frances Lacey |
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Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun (1993) as Lunar Mom |
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Used People (1992) as Bibby Berman |
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Hostages (1992) as Peggy Say |
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Prelude to a Kiss (1992) as Leah Blier |
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Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) as Evelyn Couch |
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At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991) as Hazel Quarrier |
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Shadows and Fog (1991) as Prostitute |
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The Road to Mecca (1991) as Elsa Barlow |
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Misery (1990) as Annie Wilkes |
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White Palace (1990) as Rosemary |
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Dick Tracy (1990) as Mrs. Green |
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Men Don't Leave (1990) as Lisa Coleman |
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No Place Like Home (1989) as Bonnie Cooper |
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High Stakes (1989) as Jill |
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Roe vs. Wade (1989) as Jessie |
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Signs of Life (1989) as Mary Beth Alder |
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Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988) as Mrs. Canby |
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My Best Friend Is a Vampire (1987) as Helen Blake |
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Summer Heat (1987) as Ruth |
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Murder Ordained (1987) as Bobbi Birk |
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The Morning After (1986) as Woman on Mateo Street |
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Johnny Bull (1986) as Katherine Kovacs |
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Two of a Kind (1983) as Furniture Man's Wife |
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Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982) as Stella Mae |
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Straight Time (1978) as Selma Darin |
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Taking Off (1971) as Audition Singer |
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The Smack () as Babs |
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The Great Lillian Hall (2024) Executive Producer |
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Ambulance Girl (2005) Director |
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Fargo (2003) Director |
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Dash and Lilly (1999) Director |
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Talking With (1995) Director |