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).
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Rob Reiner – Scenes from a Life | Self | 2025-12-21 |
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The Great Lillian Hall | Edith Wilson | 2024-06-30 |
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A Family Affair | Leila Ford | 2024-06-27 |
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Summer Camp | Ginny Moon | 2024-05-31 |
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Titanic: Stories from the Heart | Self (archive footage) | 2023-12-05 |
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. | Sylvia Simon | 2023-03-29 |
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The Miracle Club | Eileen Dunne | 2023-07-14 |
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Home | Bernadette | 2021-07-29 |
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Hannibal Hopkins et Sir Anthony | Self (archive footage) | 2021-03-26 |
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Richard Jewell | Bobi Jewell | 2019-12-13 |
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The Highwaymen | Ma Ferguson | 2019-03-15 |
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The Death & Life of John F. Donovan | Barbara Haggermaker | 2019-03-13 |
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Krystal | Vera | 2018-04-13 |
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On the Basis of Sex | Dorothy Kenyon | 2018-12-25 |
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Bad Santa 2 | Sunny Soke | 2016-11-23 |
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The Boss | Ida Marquette | 2016-04-07 |
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Complete Unknown | Nina | 2016-08-26 |
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The Great Gilly Hopkins | Maime Trotter | 2015-10-05 |
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Boychoir | Headmistress | 2015-03-27 |
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Tammy | Lenore | 2014-07-02 |
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Return to the 5 & Dime: An Interview with Ed Graczyk | Self – Stella Mae (archive footage) | 2014-11-18 |
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Reflections on Titanic | Self | 2012-09-10 |
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Cadaver | Beth | 2012-11-26 |
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You May Not Kiss the Bride | Bryan's Mother | 2011-04-03 |
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A Little Bit of Heaven | Beverly Corbett | 2011-02-03 |
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Midnight in Paris | Gertrude Stein | 2011-05-11 |
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Valentine's Day | Susan Milton | 2010-02-10 |
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Personal Effects | Gloria | 2009-03-05 |
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Chéri | Madame Peloux | 2009-04-08 |
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The Blind Side | Miss Sue | 2009-11-20 |
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The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club | Pancho Barnes (Voice) | 2009-12-10 |
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Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys | Charlotte Cartwright | 2008-09-12 |
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The Day the Earth Stood Still | Regina Jackson | 2008-12-10 |
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Revolutionary Road | Mrs. Helen Givings | 2008-12-19 |
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Guilty Hearts | The Judge | 2007-07-30 |
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Fred Claus | Mother Claus | 2007-11-09 |
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Bee Movie | Janet Benson (voice) | 2007-10-28 |
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The Golden Compass | Hester (voice) | 2007-12-04 |
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P.S. I Love You | Patricia | 2007-11-15 |
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Christmas Is Here Again | Miss Dowdy (voice) | 2007-10-20 |
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Bonneville | Margene Cunningham | 2006-09-11 |
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Relative Strangers | Agnes Menure | 2006-05-01 |
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Charlotte's Web | Bitsy the Cow (voice) | 2006-12-07 |
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Failure to Launch | Sue | 2006-03-10 |
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Six Feet Under: In Memoriam | Herself | 2005-10-25 |
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Hansel and Gretel | Narrator (voice) | 2005-01-01 |
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Ambulance Girl | Jane Stern | 2005-09-12 |
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Rumor Has It... | Aunt Mitsy (uncredited) | 2005-12-22 |
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Warm Springs | Helena Mahoney | 2005-04-30 |
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Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy | Siren / Sea Hag (voice) | 2004-09-24 |
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Tupperware! | Narrator | 2004-02-09 |
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Little Black Book | Kippie Kann | 2004-08-06 |
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The Bridge of San Luis Rey | The Marquesa | 2004-12-22 |
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The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing | Narrator (voice) | 2004-10-12 |
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Around the World in 80 Days | Queen Victoria | 2004-06-16 |
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Misery Loves Company | Self | 2003-01-01 |
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Celebrity Naked Ambition | Self (archive footage) | 2003-07-19 |
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Declaration of Independence | Self | 2003-06-10 |
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Making Rat Race | Herself | 2002-01-29 |
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My Sister's Keeper | Christine Chapman | 2002-01-27 |
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Unconditional Love | Grace Beasley | 2002-08-23 |
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Dragonfly | Mrs. Belmont | 2002-02-22 |
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Love Liza | Mary Ann Bankhead | 2002-12-30 |
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About Schmidt | Roberta Hertzel | 2002-12-12 |
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American Outlaws | Ma James | 2001-08-17 |
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Rat Race | The Squirrel Lady (uncredited) | 2001-08-17 |
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Bruno | Mother Superior | 2000-04-16 |
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Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood | Frances Marion (voice) | 2000-08-03 |
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Baby Steps | Mrs. Mellon | 1999-06-26 |
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Annie | Miss Agatha Hannigan | 1999-11-07 |
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The Effects of Magic | Raphaella, the Magic Bunny | 1998-09-28 |
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Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes | Self | 1998-12-15 |
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The Waterboy | Mama Boucher | 1998-11-06 |
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A Civil Action | Bankruptcy Judge (uncredited) | 1998-12-25 |
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Swept from the Sea | Miss Swaffer | 1998-01-23 |
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Primary Colors | Libby Holden | 1998-03-20 |
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Titanic: Breaking New Ground | Self | 1998-03-24 |
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Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life | Self | 1997-02-24 |
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Titanic | Molly Brown | 1997-12-18 |
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The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful | Self | 1996-03-17 |
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The War at Home | Maurine Collier | 1996-11-20 |
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Diabolique | Det. Shirley Vogel | 1996-03-22 |
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The Late Shift | Helen Kushnick | 1996-02-24 |
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Angus | Meg Bethune | 1995-09-15 |
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Dolores Claiborne | Dolores Claiborne | 1995-03-24 |
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The West Side Waltz | Mr. Goo | 1995-11-23 |
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Talking With | Big Eight (segment "Rodeo") | 1995-04-19 |
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Curse of the Starving Class | Ella Tate | 1994-09-13 |
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North | Alaskan Mom | 1994-07-22 |
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A Home of Our Own | Frances Lacey | 1993-11-05 |
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Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun | Lunar Mom | 1993-01-30 |
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Used People | Bibby Berman | 1992-12-16 |
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Hostages | Peggy Say | 1992-09-23 |
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Prelude to a Kiss | Leah Blier | 1992-07-10 |
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At Play in the Fields of the Lord | Hazel Quarrier | 1991-12-06 |
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Shadows and Fog | Prostitute | 1991-12-05 |
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The Road to Mecca | Elsa Barlow | 1991-03-10 |
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Fried Green Tomatoes | Evelyn Couch | 1991-12-27 |
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Misery | Annie Wilkes | 1990-11-30 |
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Men Don't Leave | Lisa Coleman | 1990-02-02 |
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Dick Tracy | Mrs. Green | 1990-06-15 |
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White Palace | Rosemary | 1990-10-19 |
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Signs of Life | Mary Beth Alder | 1989-01-01 |
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No Place Like Home | Bonnie Cooper | 1989-12-03 |
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Roe vs. Wade | Jessie | 1989-05-15 |
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High Stakes | Jill | 1989-10-06 |
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Arthur 2: On the Rocks | Mrs. Canby | 1988-07-08 |
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My Best Friend Is a Vampire | Helen Blake | 1987-10-01 |
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Summer Heat | Ruth | 1987-05-29 |
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Murder Ordained | Bobbi Birk | 1987-05-03 |
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The Morning After | Woman on Mateo Street | 1986-12-25 |
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Johnny Bull | Katherine Kovacs | 1986-05-19 |
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Two of a Kind | Furniture Man's Wife | 1983-12-13 |
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Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean | Stella Mae | 1982-11-12 |
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Straight Time | Selma Darin | 1978-03-18 |
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Taking Off | Audition Singer | 1971-03-28 |
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The Smack | Babs |
