Kathy Bates made her screen debut in the 1971 American comedy film ‘Taking Off’ directed by Miloš Forman. Following her debut, she went on to star in films like ‘Straight Time’ (1978), ‘Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean’ (1982), ‘Two of a Kind’ (1983), ‘The Morning After’ (1986), ‘Murder Ordained’ (1987), ‘Summer Heat’ (1987), ‘Arthur 2: On the Rocks’ (1988), ‘Signs of Life’ (1989), ‘Men Don't Leave’ (1990), and ‘Dick Tracy’ (1990). In 1990, she portrayed Annie Wilkes in the American psychological thriller film ‘Misery’ directed by Rob Reiner. The film was widely praised by critics and was a commercial success, grossing over $61.3 million on a budget of $20 million. Bates also became a recipient of the ‘Academy Award’ and the ‘Golden Globe Award’ for her performance in the film. The following year, she starred as ‘Evelyn Couch’ in the Jon Avnet-directed American comedy-drama film ‘Fried Green Tomatoes.’ The film received positive reviews from critics and was a major commercial success, grossing over $119.4 million on an $11 million budget. She continued to star in films like ‘Prelude to a Kiss’ (1992), ‘Used People’ (1992), ‘A Home of Our Own’ (1993), ‘North’ (1994), ‘Dolores Claiborne’ (1995), ‘Angus’ (1995), ‘Diabolique’ (1996), ‘Swept from the Sea’ (1997), and ‘Titanic’ (1997).
Bates received the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Award nominations for her portrayal of Libby Holden in the 1998 American comedy-drama film ‘Primary Colors’ directed by Mike Nichols. The film, despite opening to wide critical acclaim, failed to achieve success at the box office. That same year, she also played the role of Helen "Mama" Boucher in the Frank Coraci-directed American sports comedy film ‘The Waterboy.’ Even though the film received a mixed critical response, it turned out to be a major commercial success, grossing over $190 million on a $23 million budget. She next starred in films like ‘Annie’ (1999), ‘Bruno’ (2000), ‘American Outlaws’ (2001), ‘Dragonfly’ (2002), ‘About Schmidt’ (2002) which earned her an Academy Award nomination, ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ (2004), ‘Little Black Book’ (2004), ‘Failure to Launch’ (2006), ‘Relative Strangers’ (2006), ‘Guilty Hearts’ (2006), ‘Bee Movie’ (2007), ‘The Golden Compass’ (2007), ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’ (2008), ‘Revolutionary Road’ (2008), ‘The Blind Side’ (2009), ‘Valentine's Day’ (2010), and ‘A Little Bit of Heaven’ (2011). In 2012, she appeared in the American television sitcom ‘Two and a Half Men’ created by Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn. She played the role of the ghost of ‘Charlie Harper’ which earned her a ‘Primetime Emmy Award.’ She received another ‘Primetime Emmy Award’ for her performance as ‘Delphine LaLaurie’ in the FX horror anthology television series ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ (2013-2014).
She was next seen in films like ‘Tammy’ (2014), ‘Boychoir’ (2015), ‘The Boss’ (2016), ‘Bad Santa 2’ (2016), ‘Krystal’ (2017), ‘The Death and Life of John F. Donovan’ (2018), ‘The Highwaymen’ (2019), and ‘Richard Jewell’ (2019) for which she received an Academy Award nomination. Bates was last seen in the 2020 drama film ‘Home’ directed by Franka Potente. The film saw its world premiere at the ‘Rome Film Festival.’
James Cameron's epic retelling of the Titanic disaster is from the point-of-view of 100-year-old fictional character Rose, a passenger of the sunken ship along with her widowed mother and snob fiancé. She explains the back-story of the now-recovered erotic picture of her, sketched by her lover, wandering orphaned artist Jack, whom she had met on the ill-fated ship.
Novelist Paul Sheldon, known for creating the character Misery Chastain meets with a car accident. Nurse Annie Wilkes rescues him and claims to be his number one fan. However, she transforms into a violent psychopath, takes Paul captive, and tortures him when she realizes Paul is killing Misery in his latest novel.
Set in Paris, Midnight in Paris follows a screenwriter who is forced to confront the relationship issues he has with his fiancee and accept that their ways of life are too different to be compatible. The film premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
It is an Oscar nominated film depicting the story of Evelyn Couch, an unhappy middle aged housewife, whose life is changed when she befriends a colorful old lady named Ninny Threadgoode. The narrative alters several times between Evelyn’s life and Ninny’s tale about her free spirited sister-in-law Idgie, making it a highly enjoyable drama film.
In this biographical sports-drama, Michael Oher, a homeless African-American teenager with a troubled childhood, is taken in by the Caucasian family of Leigh Anne Tuohy. With the help of his caring adoptive mother and a determined coach, he is able to attain his potential as a student and an NFL player, becoming an All-American offensive left tackle.
A security guard named Richard Jewell becomes an instant hero after he foils a bomb attack by alerting the police force in time. However, he soon becomes a suspect himself in the bombing case, which turns his life upside down, into a nightmare.
In a small town in New England, Dolores Claiborne is a housekeeper working for a rich heartless lady named Vera Donovan. When Vera turns up dead, Dolores is accused of killing her employer. Meanwhile, her estranged daughter, who is a journalist living in New York City, decides to pay her mother a visit and investigate the matter herself.
After being paroled, a burglar attempts to get a regular job legally. But he soon finds himself back in prison, due to an immoral parole officer. After his release again, he decides to take revenge on the officer.
Frank and April Wheeler appear completely happy and in love but Frank hates his job and April is frustrated with her failing ambition. They decide to move to Paris but April’s pregnancy and their affairs make things complicated. Ultimately, April dies while trying to perform a self-vaccum aspiration abortion and Frank is left a shell of a man.
Retired actuary Warren Schmidt, who is struggling with his dull life, becomes estranged from his daughter Jeannie after she accuses him of not caring enough for his recently deceased wife Helen. Believing Jeannie can do better than waterbed salesman Randall, he travels to Denver in an attempt to postpone her wedding, which becomes a journey of self-realization.
After her husband Gerry dies of a brain tumor, Holly loses the will to live despite attempts by family members and friends to cheer her up. However, starting on her 30th birthday, she begins receiving a series of messages from Gerry that he had previously prepared to guide her towards a journey of rediscovery.
An untold true story of legendary detectives of 1930s. The FBI and other law enforcers found it difficult to apprehend notorious criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. The former Texas Rangers Frank Hamer and Maney Gault teamed up to hunt down the elusive bandits across central US. The two used their instincts and old-school training to end the violence of the outlaws.
Love Liza is a drama film which tells the story of Wilson Joel, a website designer, whose wife commits suicide without any explanation. In order to cope with his situation, he turns to inhaling gasoline fumes. He also finds a letter, which might be a suicide note left by his wife but he refuses to open it.
This critically acclaimed film was based on former US President Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign in 1992. The film tells the story of Henry Burton who joins the presidential campaign of Jack Stanton, Governor of Arkansas, who is running for President.
Kleinman is a timid bookkeeper, who wanders around town and tries his best in finding a dangerous serial killer who is on the loose.
Angus is an overweight teen boy who is quite insecure about himself because of the fact that he is fat, although he is quite good at science and football. He has a huge crush on a beautiful schoolmate named Melissa, but he is too shy, and feels that he has no chance with her. Rick, the guy whom she is dating, rigs an election, so that Melissa beings up Angus’s dance partner at the Winter Ball.
Boychoir is a musical drama film which tells the story of an eleven year old boy named Stet, who is sent to a boarding school for music, after his mother passes away. Although he initially faces problems, as he is unable to adapt to the new atmosphere of the school, he is soon able to discover his immense potential in music, with the help of the choir master.
Max Baron is a Jewish advertising executive in his 20s, whose wife passed away. He is still unable to get over her death. He soon gets attracted to an older waitress named Nora, who enjoys the wilder side of life. However, their class and age difference becomes a problem since Max can’t keep their relationship a secret forever.
Tough detective Dick Tracy is after crimes mastermind Alphonse ‘Big Boy’ Caprice, who is trying to take over the city, and another mysterious criminal, The Blank. Besides, he has to keep girlfriend Tess Trueheart happy, take care of an orphan, and elude advances of seductive club-singer Breathless Mahoney who can furnish evidence against Caprice. Tracy must nab Caprice to save the city.
Ad-executive Marley Corbett, an impertinent woman, is diagnosed with terminal cancer. While under anesthesia, God grants her 3 wishes, of which the first two are quickly realized. Marley makes amends to all for her earlier behavior. Her frequent visits to doctor Julian lead to a relationship, but circumstances dishearten her. Finally, she realizes that her third wish, ‘to fall in love,’ was fulfilled.
Personal Effects is a romantic drama film which tells the story of Linda, a young single mother, who is trying to get over the untimely death of her husband. Her life takes a turn when she meets a younger man Walter, a wrester, who is trying to deal with the brutal death of his sister. Over time, the two develop an unlikely bond.
Robert ‘Bobby’ Boucher Jr. is a mentally challenged water boy for the Cougars football team, who lives with his overprotective mother. When he is fired by his team, he joins the rivals Mud Dogs but soon finds himself playing as a feared linebacker. He not only turns the team around but finds true love.
Dr. Joe Darrow loses his pregnant wife Emily in a bus accident while on a Red Cross mission in Venezuela. Grief-stricken, Joe starts believing that his dead wife is trying to reach out to him. When her young patients in near-death condition speak to him in her voice, he wonders whether she is trying to contact him or is he going insane?
Retired courtesan Charlotte asks Lea, a former colleague, to educate her son, Cheri, in the ways of love. However, this results in a passionate affair between the two. Charlotte wants them to end their relationship as she wants Cheri to marry a younger woman. Lea flies to southern France, but as fate would have it, the two lovers cross path one more time.
The residents of a small town unite against a cunning land baron, who is planning to grab land from their farmers and move them out to make way for a railroad.
The Morning After is a mystery thriller film which revolves around a failed alcoholic actress, who wakes up one morning in an unknown apartment, next to a dead body. She is not able to recall anything regarding the previous night. Fearing that she might have committed murder, she flees the scene. She soon realizes that she cannot trust anyone, except a former cop named Turner Kendall.
An adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel, the movie revolves around eccentric inventor Phileas Cogg who is challenged by the villainous, Lord Kelvin, to travel around the world in eighty days. He is helped in his thrilling adventure by his valet, Passepartout, and Monique La Roche, who are hiding their own secrets.
A Valentine’s Day witnesses remarkable ups and downs in some intersecting relationships in Los Angeles. Married-for-many-years grandparents wither a crisis, a lady army officer chats for hours with a businessman co-passenger, a florist plans to propose to his school-teacher girlfriend who has inadvertently fallen for a married man, whereas a sports-reporter is assigned to cover ‘Valentine’s Day’ ……which holds many more twists.
The Family that Preys is a drama film which tells the story of Alice Pratt, a hardworking woman who is raising her two daughters while also managing a diner. She has a friend named Charlotte, whom she has known for many years. Due to secrets and scandals surrounding both their families, the lives of both women are thrown into turmoil. In order to save the situation from ruin, Alice and Charlotte both set out on a road trip.
35 years old Tripp still lives with his parents Al and Sue. Having had enough of this, they hire a professional Paula to induce him to leave home. However, Paula ends up falling in love with him. When Tripp finds out about Paula’s manipulation, he ends their relationship. But a happy ending might still be in the cards.
Santa Claus’s elder brother, Fred, ends up in jail for stealing. Santa agrees to bail him out on a condition that he will come to the North Pole and help him make toys for Christmas.
Fueled by cheap whiskey as well as greed and hatred, Willie teams up with Marcus, his little sidekick, to rob a charity on Christmas Eve. They decide to disguise themselves as Santa and an elf.
Peter, a conservative and self-conscious employee of a Chicago publishing house, falls for a girl named Rita due to her free-spirited nature. Peter soon finds himself experiencing greater confidence in life, but learns that Rita’s carefree attitude hides a pessimistic fear of the world. As they struggle and try to come to terms with their relationship, something supernatural takes place to test their love.
Klaatu, an alien in human form lands in Central Park, along with an indestructible robot nicknamed GORT, to save Earth. But scientists, Helen Benson and her son Jacob, soon realize that saving Earth means the destruction of all human life. As Klaatu learns more about humanity, he tries to save it and stop GORT.
Michelle Darnell, a wealthy CEO, gets busted for insider trading and lands in federal prison. After being released, she finds herself not only broke and homeless, but also hated. She tracks down a former assistant named Claire, the only person who is willing to help her.
Diabolique is a psychological thriller film which tells the story of two women, who decide to murder a schoolmaster, after getting tired of his abusive behavior. The killing goes as planned, but problem arises when his body mysteriously vanishes, and they soon find themselves stalked by someone.
A woman decides to snoop through the palm pilot of her boyfriend and this reveals his former girlfriends. She is shocked to know why their names are still listed, and soon, hell breaks loose.
Tammy is a road comedy film, which tells the story of a woman who after losing her job, also finds out that her husband has been unfaithful to her. She decides to hit the road with her alcoholic grandmother.
Arthur is happily married to Linda, but their lives take a turn when Arthur is informed that he will lose his entire fortune of $ 750 million, if he doesn’t divorce Linda, and marry Susan, his ex-fiancée. Since Arthur loves Linda more than his lifestyle, he refuses. They move in with Linda’s father Ralph, and Linda begins to work as a waitress. However, Susan’s father Burt starts to make life hell for them. After being confronted by Susan, Linda leaves a note for Arthur, stating that it is best for him to get married to Susan.
North is a talented eleven year old boy, who doesn’t feel valued by his parents. Fed up of the daily quarrel of his parents, he sets out on a quest to explore the world, to know himself, and to find the perfect parents.
Charlotte’s Web is an adventure comedy film, which tells the story of a pig who realizes that he is going to be slaughtered for food very soon. Therefore, he hatches a plan with a spider that lives in his pen to ensure that he won’t be killed.
In a parallel universe where the ruling power detests free thinkers, an unknown group is kidnapping children. An orphan joins a bunch of sailors, on their way to the far North, to look for the missing children. This fantasy adventure is based on the 1995 book Northern Lights.
This Japanese animated mystery drama film revolves around a young girl named Anna, who is sent to the countryside due to health reasons on the recommendation of doctors. She soon meets a young girl with blonde hair named Marnie, and the two become close friends. It soon seems that Marnie has closer ties to Anna than Anna thinks.
After graduating from college, bee Barry B. Benson finds the prospects of a career in honey making most uninspiring. Breaking the bee-rule, he talks to a human, florist Vanessa Bloome, who saves his life. As he learns from her that humans consume honey and have been exploiting bees since centuries, Barry gathers evidence to file a suit against humans.
Jan is a lawyer who takes up a case involving a major company which is responsible for contaminating a town’s water supply, eventually causing a lot of people to be diagnosed with leukemia. However, this case may bankrupt his firm as well as his career.
Eccentric business magnate Donald Sinclair devises a race from Las Vegas to Silver City, Mexico, for the high rollers of his Las Vegas Casino. The US $2 million prize money is kept in a train station locker but the journey proves to be more than what the contestants can handle.
Recently engaged journalist, Sarah Huttinger, visits her Pasadena family with her fiancé, Jeff Daly, for her sister’s wedding. She learns that probably the book and film The Graduate were based on her family and her father may not be her biological parent. For an answer, she must meet the man concerned, Beau Burroughs, now an internet tycoon, who could be her real father.
Kathy Bates Awards
| Misery | Best Actress in a Leading Role | 1991 |
| The Late Shift | Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | 1997 |
| Misery | Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama | 1991 |
| American Horror Story | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie | 2014 |
| Two and a Half Men | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | 2012 |
