Kathy Bates expressed her disbelief after being reminded of a detail she had forgotten from her Oscars acceptance speech in 1991. During an interview with CBS Sunday Morning host Ben Mankiewicz, Bates recollected winning the Best Actress award for her role in the Stephen King horror film Misery and her mother’s reaction to her win. The 76-year-old actor, known for her role in Titanic, shared that her mother, with whom she had a strained relationship, had been unimpressed by her Oscars win. Bates had forgotten a specific detail from that night.
Reflecting on her mother’s response, Bates recounted her mother’s words, saying, “She said, ‘I don’t know what all the excitement is about, you didn’t discover the cure for cancer.'” Bates then revealed that she had forgotten to thank her mother during her acceptance speech. Mankiewicz then showed Bates a clip of her speech where she had indeed thanked her mother. Watching the clip, Bates was visibly emotional and exclaimed, “Thank you! Why did I think I didn’t thank her? Oh, what a relief.”
Explaining the significance of mentioning her mother in her speech, Bates shared, “Because she should’ve had my life.” She further expressed that when her mother passed away, she called out for her spirit to enter her, wanting her to experience the joy Bates had in her life due to what her mother had sacrificed.
Last month, Bates announced her retirement just before the release of her new show, “Matlock.” In the reboot of the Eighties and Nineties original, Bates plays the septuagenarian lawyer Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a role previously portrayed by Andy Griffith. Reflecting on her decision to retire, Bates mentioned a challenging experience after an unnamed movie fell through, leaving her in tears on her sofa. Despite winning accolades throughout her career, including Emmy and Golden Globe awards, Bates stated that her new show marked her final performance, expressing that it was time for her “last dance” in the industry.
Kathy Bates’ performances in various shows and movies, such as “American Horror Story” and “Misery,” have earned her critical acclaim and prestigious awards. Her heartfelt recollection of her Oscars speech detail serves as a poignant reminder of the complex relationship she shared with her mother and the emotional depth she brings to her roles on screen.