Overwhelmed Kathy Bates Repeatedly Swears While Picking Up Best Actress Award

Feb 18, 2025 by apost team

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On Feb. 7, 2025, Kathy Bates, 76, won the Best Actress in a Drama Series award for her leading role in “Matlock” at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards! The 2024 reboot is a recreation of the 1986 original starring Andy Griffith. This earned Bates her third Critics’ Choice nomination after winning in 1999 for “Primary Colors.”

Bates came out tops against the other nominees: Caitriona Balfe, Shanola Hampton, Keira Knightley, Keri Russell and Anna Sawai. Balfe was nominated for her role as Claire Fraser in “Outlander.” In a 2022 “Awards Chatter” podcast interview, she recalled what producer Ronald D. Moore said before she signed the contract: “His exact words were, ‘Are you ready for your life to change?’ He literally said that as the elevator was opening, and I was like, ‘I guess?’”

Hampton gained attention for her role as Gabi Mosely in NBC’s “Found,” a drama about investigators looking into missing persons. After 11 seasons as an outspoken bar owner on “Shameless,” Hampton embraced the darker role, telling People in October that she “won’t be put in a box.”

In “Black Doves,” Knightley stars as Helen, a woman who works for a corporation of international spies. In a November 2024 interview with Extra, Knightley said the “heart of the whole series” is her friendship dynamic with an assassin named Sam. She said: “There was a deliciousness in showing that kind of friendship in the midst of murder and mayhem.” 

Russell received one of four nominations for “The Diplomat” at the 2025 Critics’ Choice Awards. She played Kate Wyler, a United States ambassador entangled in international affairs to prevent a war. In an October 2024 interview with Variety, Russell talked about how it takes her “a lot” to take on a role: “...what usually is the unshakable thing that moves me out of the comfort zone is that it’s just a story I can’t stop thinking about.”

Sawai was nominated for her role as Toda Mariko in FX’s “Shōgun.” For this role, she had already won an Emmy and Golden Globe. At the 2024 Emmys, Sawai was the first woman of Asian descent to win lead actress in a drama. She said:

“I was crying before my name was announced; I’m a mess today.”

Bates won the Critics Choice Award for her titular role as Madeline Matlock in the CBS series, a role that gave her hope after being frustrated by limited opportunities for women her age. In October 2024, she told People:

“I remember calling my agents and saying, ‘I think maybe I want to go into, if not retirement, semi-retirement. If I can’t afford to keep my house, I’ll sell it and maybe go to New York,’” she continued: “Then this happened. I couldn’t believe it.” 

When her name was called to receive the award, Bates was shocked. She couldn’t help but curse twice, saying “f---” before standing up and moving toward the stage. In her acceptance speech, Bates admitted:

“I really didn’t think this was going to happen.”

She praised the “Matlock” crew:

“When we come to work every day, there’s so much love on that set, and so many hundreds of years of experience... it just feels like a miracle.” 

Bates also thanked Los Angeles’ firefighters for their bravery and dedicated her award to “Matlock” producer Eric Christian Olsen, who lost his home in the Palisades Fire:

“Our producer, Eric Christian Olsen, had a house in Palisades, and it burned down... watching all the film of you guys standing in line with just a wall of flames is just terrifying.” 

“And I don’t know how you did it, but I thank you so much for so many of us in Los Angeles.” Finally, she revealed a sweet gift for Olsen, saying, “This is coming to you. First thing for decor. Thank you very much,” she said.

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Congrats to Kathy Bates on winning a Critics Choice Award for her incredible performance in “Matlock!” Are you a fan of the series? Let us know, and pass this along to fellow fans!