Kathy Bates To Retire After Her 'Matlock' Reboot

By Andrew Sanford | Celebrity | September 9, 2024 |

By Andrew Sanford | Celebrity | September 9, 2024 |

I first became aware of what an “actor” was when my parents watched What’s Love Got To Do With It? The film told the story of Tina Turner triumphing over an abusive relationship with her former husband, Ike Turner. At the time, I didn’t really understand the implications of the film. All I knew was that I had walked into the room and witnessed Cowboy Curtis committing horrific acts that seemed unbecoming of everyone’s favorite Puppetland Cowboy.

Laurence Fishburne played both Cowboy Curtis and Ike Turner. I’m certain I had seen actors play various roles at that point, but they were usually comedians. They often played themselves. There were exceptions, but seeing Fishburne as Tina Turner’s abusive ex-husband was a complete 180 from seeing him on PeeWee’s Playhouse. At that point, I started to notice actors more and more. One who stuck out to me early and often was Kathy Bates.

Bates is a favorite of my mother’s, so if she was in something, we were watching it. While I, a child, would bemoan the fact that I would have to watch Fried Green Tomatoes for the umpteenth time, I would still marvel at Kathy Bates. As I aged and began to see her more and more (Angus struck a chord with me), I began seeking movies out because she was in them. Adam Sandler was the star of Waterboy, but I watched it for Kathy Bates (and Henry Winkler).

Nothing lasts forever. Bates has graced our screens and stages for decades and she is finally ready to hang it all up. The legendary actor recently sat down with the New York Times to discuss the new Matlock reboot she will be starring in for CBS. When asked what she has planned for the future, Bates was blunt. “This is my last dance,” she explained.

Bates claims she was close to walking away already, as she had a poor experience on a film late last year. However, her agents sent her the script for Matlock, and she was hooked. Bates is thrilled to be playing the elder lawyer, saying, “Everything I’ve prayed for, worked for, clawed my way up for, I am suddenly able to be asked to use all of it.” But, as she also pointed out, “it’s exhausting.” The first season of Matlock will contain 18 episodes. That’s a lot for anyone, much more so for someone in their 70s.

As far as we know, the show is open-ended. If it does well, there will likely be more. So, we don’t know how soon Bates’ retirement will occur. But it doesn’t sound like she’ll change her mind. “It becomes my life,” Bates said about acting. “Sometimes I get jealous of having this talent. Because I can’t hold it back, and I just want my life.” Get your life back, Kathy. You’ve earned it.