Kathy Bates revealed she lost 100 pounds after her weight began to affect her stamina and mobility.
During a recent interview with Variety, the 76-year-old actress, who is starring as attorney Madeline “Matty” Matlock in the CBS reboot of “Matlock,” reflected on how she was able to endure the demanding filming schedule that comes with headlining a broadcast TV show.
“It’s helped me tremendously that, over the last six or seven years, I’ve lost 100 pounds,” the “American Horror Story” alum said.
“I don’t think I’ve been this slim since I was in college,” Bates added.
KATHY BATES PLANS RETIREMENT AFTER ‘MATLOCK’ REBOOT: ‘MY LAST DANCE’
Bates told Variety she reached her heaviest weight in 2011 when she starred in the lead role of lawyer Harriet “Harry” Korn in the NBC legal comedy drama series “Harry’s Law.”
“I had to sit down every moment that I could,” Bates recalled. “It was hard for me to walk. I’m ashamed I let myself get so out of shape, but now I have a tremendous amount of energy.”
During a 2019 interview with “Extra,” the two-time Academy Award winner opened up about losing 60 pounds and how her family history of diabetes motivated her to shed the extra weight.
“This is the best health I’ve been in in years, and I’m so grateful. It’s a miracle,” she told the outlet.
“I was facing diabetes — it runs in my family — and I really didn’t want to live with that.”
Bates said her niece gave her a piece of valuable advice about controlling her appetite.
“After you eat for 20-30 minutes, you experience an involuntary sigh,” Bates explained. “It’s communication between stomach and brain telling you you had enough. … And what I discovered is if you listen to that sigh and push that plate away for just five minutes, you realize you’re satisfied, and you don’t have to eat more.”
In a 2019 interview with People, Bates shared that her 60-pound weight loss helped ease the symptoms of lymphedema, a condition she developed after battling cancer.
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“I’m feeling great,” she told the outlet. “I’ve lost a lot of weight, and it’s really helped with my symptoms. I just still have to wear compression sleeves or guard against nicks and bug bites because that can lead to sepsis.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, lymphedema is swelling that occurs in the arms and legs due to a blockage in the lymphatic system. Lymph node removal and cancer treatment are common causes of lymphedema.
The actress was diagnosed with Stage 1 ovarian cancer in 2003. In 2012, she underwent a double mastectomy to treat breast cancer.
While speaking with Variety, Bates reflected on her six-decade career, noting she made her Hollywood breakthrough at the age of 42 when she starred as the villainous Annie Wilkes in the 1990’s “Misery.” Bates won her first Oscar for her performance in the hit horror film.
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“I always knew going into this business that it was going to take me a while because I wasn’t a beauty queen,” she said.
“I have to say I give an inner wink when I see friends who have been beauty queens who are no longer working because of ageism, and, in my case, I’ve been able to continue working for many years because I don’t look like that,” Bates added. “I don’t think I would have gotten the role in ‘Misery’ if I had been a beauty queen.”
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Bates appeared to confirm she would be retiring after starring in “Matlock.”
“Everything I’ve prayed for, worked for, clawed my way up for, I am suddenly able to be asked to use all of it,” she said. “And it’s exhausting.
“This is my last dance.”
While speaking with “Variety,” Bates shared that she had been “contemplating semi-retirement” before she was tapped to headline “Matlock.” However, she told the outlet she might never step back from her profession entirely.
“My friends say I’ll probably be like Molière and die in my chair on the stage,” she said. “Because it really is a life force for me.”
