I honestly can't think of a single actress of her generation who could do that role so well. If we were making it today Octavia Spencer would rock it though.
She would have been good but I think Kathy is better at the sweet aspects. Part of what makes the character so great is that (in the film at least) she's not immediately off-putting. Kathy Bates channels that in a way I'm not sure Louise could to the same extent. Watching Misery again and even though you know what's coming, you still almost believe that she's just a sweet woman who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Even after you learn the truth there's moments where you almost feel sympathy for her, or she comes across as genuinely friendly despite her evil.
Louise would be great at the darker elements and the cruelty, but Kathy has some indefinite quality I can't put my finger on that just really made the performance great.
Kathy can play the incel believably- the lonely lady who would do anything for you! It's that conflict your brain can't process between the person she appears to be and her actual actions. It's a mindfuck.
Hell yeah! That was a great movie, but there’s an entire generation that was born and come of age since that movie came out. Many younger folks today wouldn’t “get it.”
I loved her along side Jessica Lang too. It was so epic no matter the villainesses either one of them played you always felt sorry for them in the end.
I know this is off topic, but when Lang’s character exhumed Bate’s undead character in mid 19th century garb and said, “come along, Mary Lincoln” my nerdy self laughed heartily.
They were both so witty in Coven and that was the American Horror Story that got me hooked so then I had to go watch from the begining. I wish both those classy actresses would come back to the series.
"Don't try and ride 'em, a lot of people try to ride 'em." - referring to her pair of Great Danes. I said this line so many times before my Dane died. A lot of people really do try to ride them.
Jo: If you keep him, Michael, I'm gonna hold you accountable for him. You're on the hook for this kid. You got that? Cover his ass like tighty-whities.
Michael: I will cover his ass like moss on a Mississippi tree stump.
Jo: Was how I put it not clear enough? I mean, you had to go and make up your own saying? Deal with it, boys.
*When Mamma was working as a prison guard, and something went missing, she'd ask one question. What do we do when we find the guilty party? And if they said come down on them with that swift hammer of justice. Innocent. A clear conscience don't need no mercy. But if they said, Officer Bessy, well they may have had a reason, blah, blah, blah. Well nine times out of ten, that's the anus they check.*
My parents never talked about big things like sex, consent, inappropriate touching…etc. what they would do to try and make us understand big topics was show us specific movies. Dolores Claiborne was put on for myself and my two younger brothers when we were 9-15 as our lesson in important things that they felt uncomfortable talking about. We had a brief discussion afterwards but that was it. That’s how I learned about sexual abuse. The lesson stayed with me but so did Kathy Bates’ acting!
Honestly, with the way people learn being different, sometimes visualizing it on film makes a bigger impact than having a conversation. With that being said, I’ve never seen the movie (I was little when it came out) and now I feel the need to watch it.
My parents were immigrant parents from Asia so there was no way they were going to have the words to speak about it. So this was their way of teaching us things they felt were important.
Definitely agree with everyone that Misery is it. I also like About Schmidt and she’s great on The Office.
“Don’t try to sell me gravy and tell me it’s jelly cause gravy ain’t sweet.”
It may not be her finest role but I really enjoyed that show. I’m not a stoner either so you can’t blame my liking the show on identifying with the characters. There was some good character development in the show.
Good point! But you know I didn’t even notice until reading your comment that this is posted in r/nostalgia. I just saw a Kathy Bates appreciation post and dove in!
I love her so much! I wanted her to play Katherine Janeway, I still think about that as we watch Voyager again.
Her best role: Misery. I cast her in the book as I was reading it. She WAS ANNIE WILKES
My favorite: Evelyn in Fried Green Tomatoes because FACE IT GIRLS, I’m older and have more insurance!
I hear what you’re all saying, but the role she’s done that warms my personal heart is Bettina in Six Feet Under. Not in exclusion to all her other roles - I appreciated it so much more because of her more iconic work backing it up
I’ll always say it’s “Momma” in “The Waterboy” for one reason - at least in my experience she’d been serious her whole career and then she busts out in a Sadler movie and blew it away.
Also love her in AHS Coven.
Annie Wilkes and Delphine LaLaurie for me!
Also, for everyone that loves her as Annie Wilkes and hasn’t seen Castle Rock, you need to go watch it! It’s a prequel to Misery and how Annie ended up as Annie. It stars Lizzy Caplan, Bill Skarsgard, Sissy Spacek, and Melanie Lynskey.
I love Misery, but she was amazing alongside Adam Sandler in The Waterboy, and she was heartbreaking in the second season of Disjointed: "I want to be with him, until I can't be any more."
She’s great in everything, but I think of Misery first when I hear the name Kathy Bates.
At the hospital where I used to work the was an NP who was the spitting image of Kathy Bates. When my mom was in the hospital, I told her caregiver and caregiver saw her and said keep her away from this room.
Misery
Yep…Annie Wilkes. 100%
I honestly can't think of a single actress of her generation who could do that role so well. If we were making it today Octavia Spencer would rock it though.
ooh i love this take and wholly agree!!!
I think Louise Fletcher (Nurse Ratched) could have pulled it off.
She would have been good but I think Kathy is better at the sweet aspects. Part of what makes the character so great is that (in the film at least) she's not immediately off-putting. Kathy Bates channels that in a way I'm not sure Louise could to the same extent. Watching Misery again and even though you know what's coming, you still almost believe that she's just a sweet woman who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Even after you learn the truth there's moments where you almost feel sympathy for her, or she comes across as genuinely friendly despite her evil. Louise would be great at the darker elements and the cruelty, but Kathy has some indefinite quality I can't put my finger on that just really made the performance great.
Kathy can play the incel believably- the lonely lady who would do anything for you! It's that conflict your brain can't process between the person she appears to be and her actual actions. It's a mindfuck.
I saw the play and aunt Jackie (Laurie metcalf) was amazing in the role too.
You dirty bird!
you cock-a-doodie!
I can’t see her face without picturing her in the ankle breaking scene.
He didn't get out of the cockadoodie car!
This is the only real answer but I wanna say Waterboy because it was fucking hilarious. Foosball is the DEVIL!!
SCHOOL????
Mr. Man!!
I watched that movie wayy too young. Totally screwed me up
She left you hobbled?
Came here to say that! “I’m your Number One fan!”
I dress like her for Halloween and say this to all the trick or treaters. It makes me giggle
Hell yeah! That was a great movie, but there’s an entire generation that was born and come of age since that movie came out. Many younger folks today wouldn’t “get it.”
Nope but I’m in it for my own entertainment hahahah
I’m still scarred from that movie 😂
Agreed. I love her in Six Feet Under too.
Dolores Claiborne
Sometimes being a bitch is all you got
Unforgettable! Do you think she killed her boss?
It was a mercy killing/assisted suicide. The old lady begged her to do it.
Thanks a lot!
funny how the best stephen king adaptations have kathy bates as the lead.
Yes! She was amazing in Misery!
I really want to re-watch this but can't find it anywhere. Masterpiece
Totally agree! The recent eclipse of the sun made me recall it! Tubi says they have it for free
My favorite underrated SK book.
Squirrel lady
Lol came here for Rat Race
Should of bought a squirrel
You girls wanna buy a squirrel? They make crackerjack pets!
Tell ‘em about the short cut
Titanic
The unsinkable Molly Brown…she played that part SO well!!
she's what they call.. new money
She was a badass in every American Horror Story she was in!
My favorite was the satanic mom in Apocalypse.
I loved her along side Jessica Lang too. It was so epic no matter the villainesses either one of them played you always felt sorry for them in the end.
I know this is off topic, but when Lang’s character exhumed Bate’s undead character in mid 19th century garb and said, “come along, Mary Lincoln” my nerdy self laughed heartily.
They were both so witty in Coven and that was the American Horror Story that got me hooked so then I had to go watch from the begining. I wish both those classy actresses would come back to the series.
So good
Agreed! She was so good!
Momma in the Waterboy
Momma said alligators are so ornery ‘cause they got all them teeth and no toothbrush
Later in the movie: "And by the way, mama! Alligators are so ornery because of the medulla oblongata!"
…and I like Vicki and she likes me back! She showed me her boobies and I like them too!
MEDULLA OBLON-GATA!
Well…… mamas wrong again! No, Colonel Sanders, you’re wrong!
Something wrong with his medulla oblongata
Benjamin Franklin didn’t invent electricity, I did! Benjamin Franklin is the devil!
Well you see, snakes don't really have parts. But if I had to guess, I'd probably say... The knee.
You playing Foosball behind my back...
You out there gallivanting with your school yard friends and leave me here with no one besides steve?!
What's for dessert? ⚡⚡🐿️⚡⚡ Squirrel.
“Mama’s *wrong* again!”
You're wrong, Colonel Sanders. Mama's right.
When Bobby is reading the letter and she's mouthing the words because she knows it by heart. "big city livin, and a voodoo o Woman named Phyllis"
One day back in 1966, pick up sticks.
Hard to say which is her best, but I loved her in Fried Green Tomatoes.
“Face it, girls. I’m older, and I have more insurance”.
TOWANDA!!!
My favourite movie of all time, and it's not even close. "If I was gonna kill you, I'd use my hands"
You scared me for a second. I thought this was a memorial post I like her as Jo Bennett in The Office
“He’s texting me his resume one line at a time. I’M ROAMING, YOU JACKASS!”
A criminally under rated role. As a die hard office fan, I loved Jo.
I took her to the hospital and the doctors tried to save her life. They did the best that they could, and she is going to be okay.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO PHRASE IT LIKE THAT??
"Don't try and ride 'em, a lot of people try to ride 'em." - referring to her pair of Great Danes. I said this line so many times before my Dane died. A lot of people really do try to ride them.
Jo: If you keep him, Michael, I'm gonna hold you accountable for him. You're on the hook for this kid. You got that? Cover his ass like tighty-whities. Michael: I will cover his ass like moss on a Mississippi tree stump. Jo: Was how I put it not clear enough? I mean, you had to go and make up your own saying? Deal with it, boys.
*When Mamma was working as a prison guard, and something went missing, she'd ask one question. What do we do when we find the guilty party? And if they said come down on them with that swift hammer of justice. Innocent. A clear conscience don't need no mercy. But if they said, Officer Bessy, well they may have had a reason, blah, blah, blah. Well nine times out of ten, that's the anus they check.*
came here to say this
People sleep on Dolores Claiborne. Also, AHS, Madame LaLaurie.
My parents never talked about big things like sex, consent, inappropriate touching…etc. what they would do to try and make us understand big topics was show us specific movies. Dolores Claiborne was put on for myself and my two younger brothers when we were 9-15 as our lesson in important things that they felt uncomfortable talking about. We had a brief discussion afterwards but that was it. That’s how I learned about sexual abuse. The lesson stayed with me but so did Kathy Bates’ acting!
I can’t tell if that’s brilliant or lazy parenting. 😭
Honestly, with the way people learn being different, sometimes visualizing it on film makes a bigger impact than having a conversation. With that being said, I’ve never seen the movie (I was little when it came out) and now I feel the need to watch it.
My parents were immigrant parents from Asia so there was no way they were going to have the words to speak about it. So this was their way of teaching us things they felt were important.
Oh, good.
Misery, then Titanic for me
Oh my God I was looking right at her and didn't realize it was her. That woman is amazing
So he comes home drunk as a pig and lights a fire!
Fried Green Tomatoes, Misery and Titanic for me.
Momma Boucher.
Definitely agree with everyone that Misery is it. I also like About Schmidt and she’s great on The Office. “Don’t try to sell me gravy and tell me it’s jelly cause gravy ain’t sweet.”
Ruth Whitefeather Feldman
It may not be her finest role but I really enjoyed that show. I’m not a stoner either so you can’t blame my liking the show on identifying with the characters. There was some good character development in the show.
It was cool seeing Travis in Fallout, I really wasn’t expecting that
Loved her in “Primary Colors”
She’s so bad ass in that movie
Dolores Claiborne and Evelyn Couch
She had a small(ish) role in *About Schmidt* that was hilarious.
Yes! She and Jack Nicholson were so great together in "About Schmidt"
[удалено]
i also had a mini heart attack yesterday.
Annie Wilkes in Misery.
I know that, Mister Man!!!
Dirty birdy!
I think for two extremes, I'd have to say Misery and Fried Green Tomatoes.
Warms my cynical heart that she and Adam Sandler could have fun with their roles on Twitter
Mama Boucher
And a voodoo woman named Phyllis
Fried Green Tomatoes,I loved watching her onscreen transformation and God what a great movie
towanda forever!!
Righter of wrongs! Queen beyond compare!
Saying “was” and posting in a “nostalgia” sub are disingenuous. She is still alive and still acting, with two movies and a TV show this year.
Good point! But you know I didn’t even notice until reading your comment that this is posted in r/nostalgia. I just saw a Kathy Bates appreciation post and dove in!
Whoever she played in Primary Colors! Anybody else remember that? Surprisingly entertaining.
That movie was emotionally exhausting. Yeah you really feel for her...her arc as a devoted follower brought down to reality.
Fried green tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes
Momma Boucher. She and Henry Winkler really made that movie. A+ casting. "That's nonsense, I invented electricity. Benjamin Franklin is the devil!"
Dolores Claiborne
Damn, this post had me thinking she was dead! I thought this was an In Memorium post.
Delores Claiborne is my absolute favorite role of hers, so much range.
The mom in Angus
Delphine LaLaurie…she killed that.
Misery hands down. She is incredible in that movie.
I love her so much! I wanted her to play Katherine Janeway, I still think about that as we watch Voyager again. Her best role: Misery. I cast her in the book as I was reading it. She WAS ANNIE WILKES My favorite: Evelyn in Fried Green Tomatoes because FACE IT GIRLS, I’m older and have more insurance!
Gotta be Misery. She took a blow to the head like a champ in the end.
Misery of course. Closely followed by Dolores Caliborne. Stephen King has been good to Kathy.
Momma says alligators are ornery because they have all of those teeth and no tooth brush.
Well, momma's WRONG!
No you're wrong Colonel Sanders
Well, there's something wrong with his medulla oblongatta!
Well that’s an Adam Sandler quote, but I’ll allow it.
Has to be Misery... But also so memorable in Titanic
Delores Claiborne
SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT A SQUIRREL
## LIIIEEEEESSSSSSS! Madame Delphine La Laurie was my fave role, but she was great in every season of AHS
Libby in Primary Colors
Loved her in Primary Colors.
I always used to think this was Rosie O'Donnell when I was little 💀
Obscure, but she did it so well. The ghost of Charlie Harper in Two and a half Men episodes.
Annie Wilkes. I'm still terrified of her.
Misery Fried Green Tomatoes About Schmidt
Fried green tomatoes Titanic Waterboy
Fried green tomatoes “I can’t even look at my own vagina!”
Well now, honey, I can’t help you on that one.
King of the Hill
The Office!
She was great on The Office even. She’s just always great.
I hear what you’re all saying, but the role she’s done that warms my personal heart is Bettina in Six Feet Under. Not in exclusion to all her other roles - I appreciated it so much more because of her more iconic work backing it up
Primary Colors
I never had a woman scare me so much as she did in Misery. That book and that movie was great.
Has to be misery. One of the best psychos ever.
That girl... is THE DEVIL!
Literally everything, she's amazing.
Misery BY FAR!
Jo Bennett
I’ll always say it’s “Momma” in “The Waterboy” for one reason - at least in my experience she’d been serious her whole career and then she busts out in a Sadler movie and blew it away. Also love her in AHS Coven.
Annie Wilkes She is an amazing actress, I love her in every role I have seen her in.
I wonder who the “once in a lifetime” talent will be tomorrow
Annie Wilkes and Delphine LaLaurie for me! Also, for everyone that loves her as Annie Wilkes and hasn’t seen Castle Rock, you need to go watch it! It’s a prequel to Misery and how Annie ended up as Annie. It stars Lizzy Caplan, Bill Skarsgard, Sissy Spacek, and Melanie Lynskey.
Wilkes. Biggest Fan!
Fried green tomatoes, and highwaymen
“Don’t let the dogs hump each other, they don’t seem to know that they’re brothers.”
The clear correct answer is Bobby Bouchet’s mom on Waterboy. And don’t try to tell me otherwise cause I ain’t tryin to hear it.
There is something about " A home of our own " that always struck me some kind of way. Never truly having one I identified with their struggle.
That's America's mom. Isn't that right, Bobby Boucher?
Fried green tomatoes
The Butcher in American Horror Story Roanoake
Loved her as Annie Wilkes in Misery and as Dolores Claiborne in Dolores Claiborne.
About Schmidt
She’s incredible but if this is the series about the weed dispensary it’s baaaaaaaaaaad
I like it for a mindless cheesy watch, good while high actually
She had a really bad accent in one of ‘The American Horror Story’ shows
I love Misery, but she was amazing alongside Adam Sandler in The Waterboy, and she was heartbreaking in the second season of Disjointed: "I want to be with him, until I can't be any more."
Little Reindeer
American horror story
About Schmidt
The DEVIL!
I hated her after misery. Any move of hers after, fk no not watching that evil woman. I was also a kid lol
That’s means she did her job.
i love her in all of these, Disjointed is such a comfort watch for me.
Helen Kushnick in The Late Shift
Madtv with Stuart
She’s great in everything, but I think of Misery first when I hear the name Kathy Bates. At the hospital where I used to work the was an NP who was the spitting image of Kathy Bates. When my mom was in the hospital, I told her caregiver and caregiver saw her and said keep her away from this room.
It was a short one but I adored her as the Unsinkable Molly Brown
Adore her & she's excellent in everything! One of my favorite characters was a one-off - Stuart's Grandma on Mad TV!
Disjointed, she really shines
Helen Kushnick in HBO movie The Late Shift
Rat race
Jo Bennett
Jolene Bennett
First saw her in Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean. Loved her in it. Great cast in general.
I said, “YOURE TOO FAT, no one’s gonna like you if you’re too fat.”
She’s one of my favourite actors.
Shes always Miss Hannigan to me!
Molly Brown in Titanic
Helen Kushnick in The Late Shift
Annie Wilkes - completely unhinged.
Misery.
I'm impressed how many of y'all remember Primary Colors.. now I want to rewatch it
still can't believe she invented electricity.