Kathy Bates Announces Retirement Plans After Matlock: What’s Next for the Oscar-Winning Actress?
Kathy Bates surprised fans and TV viewers by joining the CBS reboot of the folksy mystery thriller Matlock. Bates has spent the majority of her acting career in the past decade working on TV projects. However, the more eager fans are to see Bates on screen, the more likely it is that this will be her final role.
Kathy Bates announced her intention to retire after the end of Matlock’s run. In an interview with The New York Times, she stated, “This is my last dance.” Bates mentioned that she was ready to retire early as she had lost interest in a late-year film shoot.
But in January 2024, her representatives presented her with the script for the procedural show, which focuses on a modern take on the traditional courtroom TV drama featuring a septuagenarian seeking redemption, capturing the actress’s attention.
In fact, Bates had expressed her desire to retire early due to losing interest in a late-year film shoot (without revealing the project’s title). She emphasized the mental and physical commitment she puts into every role she takes on.
After completing production, she reportedly contacted her agency the next day stating her intent to retire, but a few weeks later, her agents handed her the Matlock pilot script. Bates mentioned, “It becomes my life. Sometimes I envy having this talent because I can’t suppress it, and I just want my life.”
Although she never developed a strong attachment to the original series, Bates felt an instant connection to how the protagonist was written. The original Matlock series aired from 1986 to 1995 on two networks, starring Andy Griffith as the titular attorney.
Bates gained fame for her Academy Award-winning role as Annie Wilkes in the 1990 film Misery, where she portrayed a violent recluse who kidnaps a renowned novelist. She has also appeared in TV series like The Office, Six Feet Under, Two and a Half Men, and American Horror Story: Coven.
Matlock, with 18 episodes ordered, will also feature Beau Bridges, Skye P. Marshall, and Jason Ritter.
ALSO READ: Sandra Oh Wins Her First Ever Emmy For Quiz Lady In THIS Category After 14 Nominations Over The Years