Kathy Bates confirms retirement after final performance in ‘Matlock’
There comes a time when many actors decide to throw in the towel and take a step down from their career—something Oscar-winning star Kathy Bates has just announced. After over five decades in the industry, the 76-year-old will make her final on-screen performance in the CBS series Matlock.
Talking to the New York Times, she explained that this is “my last dance”, adding, “It becomes my life. Sometimes, I get jealous of having this talent. Because I can’t hold it back, and I just want my life.”
It seems as though Bates is ready to enjoy the rest of her time without the stress of working on a film set, attending premieres, being interviewed, and existing as an in-demand star. She initially planned to retire after an unnamed project left her wanting to no longer perform, but she was attracted to the script of Matlock and decided to both star in it and act as executive producer.
Matlock features Bates as Madeline Matlock, an older woman who decides to begin working at a law firm. The show follows her as she surprises people by winning many cases despite not, at least on the surface, appearing to have what it takes. This reimagining of the original male-led series seems to take a feminist spin, calling into question expectations of gender and age.
The show also stars Jason Ritter, David Del Rio, Skye P. Marshall, and Leah Lewis. It was developed by Jennie Snyder Urman, who previously helmed the popular comedy Jane the Virgin.
Bates’ long career has seen her appear in many acclaimed movies and television shows. After getting her first film role in 1971’s Taking Off by Miloš Forman, her career truly got going in the 1990s. She starred in Misery, directed by Rob Reiner and based on Stephen King’s book of the same name, which earned her an Oscar for ‘Best Actress’.
She has appeared in movies like Titanic, Primary Colors, Revolutionary Road, Midnight in Paris, and, more recently, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Bates is also known for starring in American Horror Story, playing various characters throughout its different seasons, and other television shows such as The Office, Six Feet Under, and The Big Bang Theory.
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