Movies

Kathy Bates becomes oldest Emmy nominee for best drama actress

BBG News

At 77, Kathy Bates is now the oldest Emmy nominee for lead actress in a drama series.

In the CBS series “Matlock,” starring Bates, we find him portraying septuagenarian lawyer Madeline Matlock, concluding its first season in April. This new show, masterminded by Jennie Snyder Urman (most renowned for “Jane the Virgin”), is a modern take on the original series starring Andy Griffith, which aired from 1986 to 1995. Bates’ Matlock is now older but no less clever than his predecessor.

Last year, Bates shared with The Times that there had been discussions about developing a character related to the original Matlock, but as a granddaughter in her 30s or 40s. Remarkably, he finds himself fortunate to have landed this role at the age of 76.

Awards

As a dedicated cinephile, I’ve had my ups and downs with Tinseltown, but recently found myself contemplating hanging up the acting boots due to Hollywood’s tumultuous nature. That was until I stumbled upon Jennie Snyder Urman’s fresh perspective on the classic ‘Matlock.’ Reading that script rekindled my passion for storytelling and left me eager to dive back into the world of filmmaking once more.

This week, Bates surpassed a long-standing record as the oldest nominee in the category’s history, having celebrated his birthday last month. Previously, this record was held by the late Angela Lansbury, who was 70 when she received her nomination for “Murder, She Wrote” in 1996. Interestingly, despite being nominated 18 times, Lansbury never managed to win an Emmy award.

It’s no shock that Bates has been nominated; she was also contending for the same category at this year’s Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and won the award at the Critics Choice Awards back in February.

Bates has been nominated for 15 Emmy Awards and has won two: one for ‘Guest Actress in a Comedy Series’ for “Two and a Half Men” (2012) and another for ‘Supporting Actress in a Limited Series’ for “American Horror Story: Coven” (2014). In 1991, she won the Oscar for ‘Lead Actress’ for her spine-chilling portrayal in the horror film “Misery,” which was adapted from Stephen King’s novel of the same title.

“Matlock” has been renewed for a sophomore season and is expected to return in the fall.

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2025-07-15 19:01

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