Kathy Bates speaks up on health, determination and happiness
By Jennifer Blaise Kramer / Photos by Ari & Louise
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Kathy Bates is full of surprises. She turns 77 in June and feels better than ever (to which she says, “I know, it’s a miracle!”). She has control of her life and career and she’s enjoying the latest phase of both. It’s even more meaningful to her because she’s worked hard to overcome a series of health challenges. She faced ovarian cancer in 2003, breast cancer in 2012 and, after her breast cancer surgery, lymphedema in 2016. Then she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2017. It all caused her to make changes that eventually led to a 100-pound weight loss. And just as she was thinking about semi-retirement, the script of “Matlock” landed in her hands. Now, Bates is doing more of what she loves as a lead actor, and she has a determination and glow that are easy to see on and off screen.
“Something about the word ‘determined’ put me in the driver’s seat,” Bates says. “I don't like the word ‘willpower.’ Over the years, it’s become loaded, as in ‘Oh, well, you just didn't have the willpower to do this.’ ‘Determined’ was different for me.”
Making Change Happen
That determination came 8 years ago with her diabetes diagnosis. Even after all she’d been through, diabetes meant something different for Bates. Her father died from it after facing complications, and another family member is dealing with it now. “It scared me,” says Bates. She became determined to find a way to lose weight, which can also help with the effects of lymphedema.
The process started with new ways of listening to her body. “My niece, Linda, told me how when you eat and when you've had enough, you experience a big sigh, and then you stop. You just stop.” The idea is that the sigh sends a message to the stomach that you’re full. “This was new for me because I was used to overeating, so when that sigh came, it surprised me. I tried pushing my plate away and, sure enough, after about 5 or 10 minutes, I wasn't hungry anymore. So I just kept doing it and doing it, and the more results I got, the more excited I became. And I thought, ‘I'm really onto something here.’”
Sure enough, Bates began to lose weight. Medical experts told her it could take years for her body to change. But by staying focused, Bates kept tuning in and her body kept listening — and responding. Her whole way of living began to change. She turned to healthier food choices and made a point of being much more active. She lost 70 to 80 pounds over the course of 7 years. The last 20 or so pounds came off with the prescription of a diabetes treatment drug from her doctor. She still maintains the habits that helped her lose the initial weight, paying attention to her body’s fullness signals and keeping up physical activity. Even on the set of “Matlock,” she walks every day.
“I’ve realized I have control; I'm not doing anything but listening to what my body and brain are telling me about hunger and fullness,” says Bates. “In this case, I wanted to feel the happiness, the joy and the control. It was choosing to feel in control and happy over feeling sad and powerless.”
Get Kathy Bates' advice for finding your purpose — plus, a behind-the-scenes peek into her photo shoot.
The Power of a Role
‘Powerless’ it not a word most people would use to describe the Academy Award-winning actor. After a successful theater career, Bates’ film roles have often been powerful ones, from the title role in “Dolores Claiborne” to Annie Wilkes in “Misery.” “Claiborne” was her favorite because she played two life stages, both young and old, of one character. To capture the character’s Maine accent, Bates worked with a coach. “I also worked really hard with a movement coach on how the body moves differently in aging,” she recalls. “The head, for example, is very simple … you turn your head to look. But when you're older, you have to use your whole body to turn because your neck isn't as flexible.”
Things got even more physical in “Misery,” for which Bates won the Oscar for Best Actress — a first for a performance in a horror film. “I had just come from New York doing plays, and I had done a play about a woman who was deeply depressed,” Bates says. She felt the hardest part of “Misery” was the final fight scene. “It was so upsetting.” Aside from the dark script, she found it thrilling to be a lead on a big movie set for the first time. Even though Bates had a private trailer, she says she spent every moment she could on set, watching, listening and absorbing everything it took to make the movie.
For her roles, from the cold-hearted to the kind-hearted, Bates prepares by reading books, rereading scripts and noticing what makes each unique. “Each role is different — sometimes you know exactly what you want to do, and it just feels right in your mouth and in your body. And sometimes I feel like I'm standing outside a house banging on the door and I can't get in.”
A New Opportunity
It wasn’t so long ago that Bates was feeling like she couldn’t get into the kind of role she wanted at all. She was at a fork in her career, not sure if she should continue. “For many years, I've been playing supporting roles in lower budget movies that people don't really see. And that began to be really frustrating to me,” she says. On one of her more frustrated days, she told her agent she was going to retire. A few weeks later, they gave her a script anyway, for “Matlock.” “They said, ‘You have to read it, and you have to let them know as soon as possible. And if you're not going to do it, they're not going to do it.’ So I read it and, when I got to the end, I jumped off the sofa and thought, ‘Wow, this is what I want to do!’”
That was how Bates stepped into the title role of Madeline “Matty” Matlock on CBS’ hit series. She also serves as an executive producer on the show, and this year she’ll collaborate on casting. Bates reviews every episode and meets with series creator Jennie Snyder Urman and others on the team to discuss changes.
The central storyline of the show is Matty joining a law firm after decades of retirement. In the first episode, Matty sounds a lot like Bates, telling the other characters: “There’s this funny thing that happens when women age; we become damn near invisible. Not that I’m complaining, I’ve had my moment in the sun. Plus, it’s useful because nobody sees us coming.”
“I read [the script] and, when I got to the end, I jumped off the sofa and thought, ‘Wow, this is what I want to do!’”
Above: Cameras roll on the set of “Matlock” as Bates leads a scene playing Madeline “Matty” Matlock. (Photo by Erik Voake/CBS via Getty Images)
“I’ve realized I have control; I'm not doing anything but listening to what my body and brain are telling me.”
—Kathy Bates
Loving Life
In her personal life and her professional life, Bates is reveling in an era of health, happiness and success, all made possible through her sense of determination.
After enjoying time with friends after the first season of “Matlock” wrapped up, Bates is now preparing for the show’s second season. Her vision and excitement for the show stretches into the future. “I hope we run for many years,” she says.
In her role as Matty — and in her healthier lifestyle — Bates is seeing life differently. “It’s been so exciting, and it all goes back to control. It's opening your life up and realizing there's more than just a dish of food in front of you.” In looking forward, she chooses to spend less time dwelling on the past. “I feel like a different person. I'm so grateful and I'm never going back.”
3 Ways to Listen to Your Body
For Kathy Bates, listening to her body's cues has helped her lose weight and keep it off, which is important for her health. She shared the following 3 keys to her weight loss* success:
*Information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed medical provider. Consult your provider prior to making changes to your lifestyle or health care routine.
Video by SNAK Media • Hair by Romy Fleming • Makeup by Steve Solitto
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