People Claim Kathy Bates ‘Aged’ And Looked ‘Skinny’ After Losing 100 Lbs In 7 Years

Sep 18, 2024

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Kathy Bates is a critically acclaimed actress known for her great work as a director. The star has taken the world by storm with her incredibly long career spanning over 50 years. Her talents have been seen in various projects and genres in the acting world, including comedies, romance movies, thrillers and dramas.

Bates was born June 28, 1948, in Memphis, Tennessee. Bates graduated early from White Station High School in 1965, proving her determination. From the Broadway stage to the silver screen, Bates has made her presence known in the entertainment industry. She has not only showcased her incredible talents as an actress and director but has also used her platform for the betterment of others. 

By engaging with multiple organizations and discussing her struggles, Bates has helped raise awareness for several causes, most of which deal with health issues. Bates has always been honest about what it’s like being a larger woman in Hollywood and has voiced her opinions multiple times. Despite making a few headlines along the way, she hasn’t let anyone’s view of her appearance prevent her from continuing her long-lasting career, and she is still working in the entertainment industry. 

Along with battling cancer and suffering other major health issues, Bates has accomplished a lot in her health journey. Among the most significant changes she underwent was her weight loss, which earned praise from people. 

When she attended the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards Ceremony at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on Sept. 16, 2024, people were shocked to see the actress in a stunning purple gown. Keep reading to learn more about Bates and her remarkable transformation. 

Bates starred in “Fried Green Tomatoes” in 1991, a movie based on the novel “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe” by actress Fannie Flagg. Bates later played the title character in “Dolores Claiborne,” another Stephen King adaptation, in 1995. This was also the year that Bates decided to move from in front of the camera to behind the screen and she picked up work as a director on many television shows, including “Great Performances,” “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “NYPD Blue.”

Along with directing television series, Bates began picking up more roles by acting in them, too, as well as continuing her already-established career as a film actress. She won her first Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by a female Actor in a miniseries or television movie in 1997 for her work in “The Late Shift.” Bates had a remarkable range in her repertoire, and she consistently demonstrated her versatile acting skills. 

She gained even more recognition from her role as Molly Brown in the romance film “Titanic” in 1997, directed by James Cameron and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. 

The movie was one of the most successful of its time and became the highest-grossing film of all time worldwide in 1998. It is still considered a classic. The film’s success was only beaten by another Cameron film, “Avatar,” which surpassed the previous film’s box-office success in 2010. Today, “Titanic” is No. 3 on the list of highest-grossing movies, surpassed only by "Avatar” and  “Avengers: Endgame.”

With more and more people recognizing Bates for her incredible acting abilities, it was only a matter of time before her body became a hot topic in news outlets. In the 2002 comedy-drama movie “About Schmidt,” Bates appeared nude in one notable scene, which received significant attention from film critics and audiences. 

During an interview with Hello! Magazine, Bates talked about what it was like being a woman of her size in the spotlight. 

“People either laugh or cheer,” Bates said. “I think there are a lot of women in the audience who are thrilled to see a real woman up on the screen in all her glory.”

This wasn’t the first time Bates’ appearance became a topic of conversation. Following her feature film debut in 1971, the actress faced rude comments and criticism from casting agents who said they didn’t think she was attractive enough to play certain roles. 

“I was never an ingenue,” Bates said. “I’ve always just been a character actor. When I was younger, it was a real problem because I was never pretty enough.” 

These comments impacted not only Bates’ opportunities for lead roles but also her own self-worth. 

“It was hard, not just for the lack of work, but because you have to face up to how people are looking at you,” she explained. 

Despite what anyone had to say about her, Bates’ success was undeniable, and she persevered. She played more supportive roles in a plethora of movies, including “Failure to Launch” in 2006, “P.S. I Love You,” in 2007 and “The Blind Side” in 2009.

The actress was diagnosed with lymphedema, a disease commonly caused by the removal of lymph nodes during cancer treatment, shortly after winning her second battle with cancer. 

“It’s a souvenir you definitely don’t want,” Bates said. “I really felt that life was over for me. I probably wouldn’t work again, and I was angry for a long time.”

Bates remained committed to her healthy diet and routine exercise, as well as her lymphedema diagnosis and general health. The actress lost 60 pounds following her treatment and was given a rejuvenated view of life. 

“This is the best health I’ve been in in years and I’m so grateful,” Bates said during an interview with Extra TV in March 2019. “It’s a miracle.” 

She went on to explain how diabetes runs in her family, so she wanted to lose weight and get healthy as a way to prevent herself from succumbing to the disease.

“After you’ve maybe been eating for 15 or 20 minutes, you experience an involuntary sigh,” she explained. “It’s communication between your stomach and your brain telling you that you’ve had enough.” 

Bates further explained how waiting just a few minutes after a meal helped her realize she was satisfied and didn’t need to eat more.

She also talked more about battling cancer and her diagnosis of lymphedema, and how her mindful eating habits have helped ease the pain the disease causes. She has continued to use her platform to raise awareness about the topic. 

“I want people to know what it is so they can get treatment early before it progresses to its most difficult stages,” Bates said.

The star talked more about her new eating habits with Hello! Magazine in March 2019. 

“The trick is to pay attention to that and push your plate away,” she said, referring to the notion of paying attention to your fullness after eating. “I don’t like the word willpower, but I like the word determination.”

Bates returned to the spotlight in 2024 when she announced a reboot of the classic legal series Matlock. Fans were ecstatic to hear of Bates’ new series, where she stars alongside Beau Bridges and Jason Ritter.

“Holy hell, Matlock is returning? Kathy Bates is a great actress too. Playing matlock's daughter,” one user commented, while another said, “Kathy Bates is Matlock. I’m very intrigued.”   

However, as Bates began promoting the series before its September 2024 premiere, fans were perplexed by her slimmer face and frame. 

“OMG, what happened to her? I love her but is this even her? She was fine, before?????” one user said, while another stated simply, “I almost didn’t recognize her… her face looks so thin.

One commenter simply stated, “Ozempic face,” which received the response, “It's getting easy to spot hey.”

“Love Kathy to death but honey you can’t lose that much weight after a certain age. Your skin just hangs there,” another user chimed in on TikTok.

However, many fans left encouraging comments on their favorite actress in a video promo featuring Bates on the show’s official Instagram page.

“Gosh. I didn’t recognise Kathy. She looks great,” one fan wrote, while another remarked, “Kathy Bates looks great!”

“Kathy Bates looks amazing in her golden years,” one comment read, while another stated, “My gosh, talk about not getting older, but getting better! I didn't even recognize Kathy in the first Matlock preview! ... Matlock was one of my favorite shows ever. I still watch the re-runs. I am SO looking forward to the new Matlock.”

In an interview with Variety in September 2024, she reflected on her life and legacy and briefly discussed her plans to retire, which she changed her mind on. 

“My friends say I’ll probably be like Molière and die in my chair on the stage, because it really is a life force for me,” Bates joked. 

She now leads her own show and credits her weight loss journey with fueling her determination to take on such a big task. 

“It’s helped me tremendously that, over the last six or seven years, I’ve lost 100 pounds.” Bates confirmed. “I don’t think I’ve been this slim since I was in college.”

According to the actress, she weighed the most in 2011 while doing “Harry’s Law.” She had to sit down every moment she could as it was also “hard” for her to walk. 

At the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony, the public was surprised to see the 76-year-old actress in a bedazzled deep violet gown. 

“Kathy Bates looks great! 76 years old Happy and healthy! Talented actress! Loved her insane character in Misery!” a fan praised in the comment section of The Daily Mail.

“She’ve always been beautiful, now she is healthier. Great actress!” another commented. 

However, not all comments about Bates were positive, and many were back-handed. Some are still accusing Bates of using the controversial weight loss drug Ozempic. 

“Great actress but I think Ozempic has aged her,” one claimed, echoing another, “I love Kathy Bates but Ozempic does not suit her!”

Some left insulting comments like, “Why has she lost so much weight? She doesn't look healthy,” “Jeez, did she come as her own grandmother?” and “She's too skinny.” 

Are you a fan of Kathy Bates? What was your favorite performance of her? Isn’t her transformation remarkable? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other Kathy Bates fans out there!