An outstanding actress who built an impressive résumé on New York City stages long before making her mark in Hollywood, Kathy Bates was born June 28, 1948, in Memphis, Tenn. After graduating from Southern Methodist University, she headed to the Big Apple and first tasted success with an off-Broadway production of "Vanities."In 1971, Bates debuted on film in Taking Off, but her big-screen appearances remained sporadic until she struck gold almost 20 years later with her starring role as the unhinged Annie Wilkes in Misery. Her career-defining performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Bates won a Golden Globe a year later for Fried Green Tomatoes and followed up with Dolores Claiborne (1995) and the blockbuster Titanic (1997). She snagged two more Oscar nods for Primary Colors (1998) and About Schmidt (2002), and in 2010 added to a long list of Emmy honors with a nomination for the futuristic miniseries "Alice."
Tyler Perry's The Family That PreysTyler Perry writes, directs and co-stars in this poignant dramedy centered on a pair of friends -- wealthy socialite Charlotte (Kathy Bates) and working-class Alice (Alfre Woodard) -- whose families stand to be ripped apart by greed and scandal. To prevent the collapse and save their families, the... Read More
Unconditional LoveKathy Bates plays Grace Beasley, a loving wife whose life takes a tragic turn when her husband (Dan Aykroyd) leaves her and her favorite pop star/life-long inspiration Victor Fox (Jonathan Pryce) dies. She travels to London for the funeral, where she meets the dead star's lover (Rupert Everett). She... Read More
Dolores ClaiborneThis adaptation of the Stephen King novel tells the story of Dolores (Kathy Bates), a Maine housekeeper accused of murdering her elderly employer. This draws her estranged daughter Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a New York reporter, up to Maine to help search for answers. On her visit, she learns... Read More
A Home of Our OwnWanting to trade the dangers of 1960s Los Angeles for a simpler life in the country, a widowed mother of six packs up the kids and heads to rural Idaho, where she finds a place for her brood to live in exchange for work. Read More
Guilty HeartsOver the course of this drama's six separate stories, a variety of couples struggle with the infidelity, dishonesty and heartbreak that plagues their varied pasts. In overcoming their challenges, these diverse individuals embrace a brighter future. Read More
