Posted on 10/07/2024 5:56:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Kathy Bates won an Oscar in 1991 for her magnificent performance in the Stephen King thriller "Misery" – but it wasn't until recently that she realized she'd thanked her mother in her acceptance speech.
In an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning," Bates told Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz that her parents had sacrificed a lot for her to study to become an actress. But she also noted that – despite receiving a Tony Award nomination for "'Night, Mother," and then an Academy Award – her mother's reaction to her success was less than charitable.
"When I won the Oscar for 'Misery,' she said, 'I don't know what all the excitement's about. You didn't discover the cure for cancer,'" she told "Sunday Morning."
Bates said that she had neglected to mention her mother in her acceptance speech, suggesting that was possibly the reason for the slight. "I forgot to thank her that night," Bates said.
"You know, you did thank her at the end of your speech," Mankiewicz said. "You thanked her."
"No, I did not. I did not," Bates replied. "You go back and look at it. I didn't."
It was then that Mankiewicz played back for Bates a recording of her acceptance speech, at the 63rd Academy Awards ceremony from March 25, 1991.
Watching the recording, Bates froze, then stared at Mankiewicz in disbelief. Her hands came up to her mouth as she heard herself say: "I would like to thank my family, my friends, my mom at home, and my dad, who I hope is watching somewhere."
"Thank you! Why did I think I didn't thank her?" said Bates after watching the video.
"Why does that mean so much to you?" asked Mankiewicz.
"'Cause she should have had my life," Bates said. "When she died, I remember I said, 'Come into me.' I wanted her spirit to come into me, even though we had so many difficulties. I wanted her spirit to come into me and enjoy everything I was enjoying, because of what she'd given up.
"Wow! Thank you so much for that," she added.
In addition to winning an Oscar for "Misery," Bates has appeared in such films as "Straight Time," "Dolores Claiborne," "Titanic," "Primary Colors," "About Schmidt" "The Waterboy," "Midnight in Paris," "Richard Jewell," "Are You There God? It's Me Margaret," and the TV series "American Horror Story." Now 76 and a two-time cancer survivor, Bates had recently suggested she would retire from acting, and in the interview talked about how women of a certain age are in a sense invisible in society, and on screen. But now, she is starring in the new CBS series "Matlock," in a role that plays off that notion of invisibility.
"It's fantastic. I think it's one of the most wonderful roles I've ever had to play," she said.
Asked if she had given up the plans on retiring, she affirmed: "Not retiring. I want to stay for this show for as long as it runs, and I hope it runs for a very long time."
More from CBS News
She should’ve also thanked James Caan.
Oh yeah, because his character stopped at a toll plaza, and she got him there and took him home.
Very good actress.
Yes, a great actress. I saw a picture of her recently since she’s lost so much weight, and it was startling to me, how much she resembled my late mother.
If only he had an E-Z Pass a whole lot of Misery and Settling of Family Business could have been avoided.
Now, that's funny.
Today's snowflakes would be traumatized at a statemment like that from a parent.
On a nother note, I'm shocked Bates is this old. How time flies.
If he just would have had Yoda teach him howe to deal with his anger, it could have been avoided.
I'm surprised she's still alive.
What shocks me is that Misery was released in 1990. I thought it was released in the 1980s.
She has been a good actress in many roles.
In one of those roles, she played Richard Jewell’s mother in “Richard Jewell.”
I also liked on TV in “The Office,” and the movie, “The Blind Side.”
She was loads of fun in Titanic. So versatile.
She’s funny as heck in The Waterboy with Adam Sandler. She plays his mother.
I never saw that movie, so I watched a couple of clips after your post. Yes, she is funny.
I never watched Misery, either. Just could never bring myself to do it.
There is one scene where she is cooking out and she has little alligators on the grill
In Misery, she is scary in a low key way. She starts off a little weird and then gets more and more crazy, then scary.
Interesting... Here's a quote (below) where she talks about the "weird" roles she plays:
"I'm not a stunning woman. I never was an ingenue; I've always just been a character actor. When I was younger it was a real problem, because I was never pretty enough for the roles that other young women were being cast in. The roles I was lucky enough to get were real stretches for me: usually a character who was older, or a little weird, or whatever. And it was hard, not just for the lack of work but because you have to face up to how people are looking at you."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.