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Kathy Bates is stepping away from acting following her latest TV project

Her new role on a CBS show will be her final on screen performance.

By Joe Allen Sep 9, 2024 11:52 AM

Kathy Bates in Matlock. — CBS

Few actors have had careers as diverse and impressive as Kathy Bates, but after decades of success, it seems she’s ready to hang up her spurs. In an interview with The New York Times, Bates announced that her upcoming role on CBS’s Matlock reboot will be her final performance.

In the interview, Bates also said that she had considered retiring from film in 2023 after an unpleasant experience on a film set. Now, it seems that she’s made the call to be done for good.

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“It becomes my life. Sometimes I get jealous of having this talent. Because I can’t hold it back, and I just want my life,” Bates said of the way that acting can leave little room for anything else in her life.

Bates said that the script for Matlock ultimately convinced her to return for one final role. The series follows Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a lawyer who comes out of retirement and uses her own unassuming demeanor and her guile to win cases. “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 of the role, adding that it had also been “exhausting.”

In addition to Bates, this reboot of the Andy Griffith series also stars Jason Ritter, Skye P. Marshall, David Del Rio, and Leah Lewis. Bates’s involvement, and the news that this is her swan song, could increase interest in the series. It’s unclear how long it might run, though, so while it might be her final project, that doesn’t mean we won’t be seeing Bates on TV for years to come. The show will likely stream on Paramount+ after airing.

Joe Allen is a freelance writer at Digital Trends, where he covers Movies and TV. He frequently writes streaming… Read Full Bio

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