Kathy Bates sets the record straight on retirement rumors a year after hinting she wants to quit
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kathy Bates has reassured fans that she has no plans to retire anytime soon.
Appearing on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show' this week alongside her 'Matlock' castmates, the Hollywood veteran responded directly to speculation about her future in the industry.
Kathy Bates says she's 'having too much fun' to even think of retirement
When host Jennifer Hudson asked, “Did you know people have rumors that you may retire? Do you want to set them straight?,” Kathy Bates quickly shut down the gossip.
“Yes, I'm not going to retire because I'm having too much fun with these guys,” she said, smiling as she gestured toward her co-stars Sky P Marshall, Jason Ritter, David Del Rio, and Leah Lewis.
Hudson enthusiastically backed Bates’ statement, exclaiming, “She said what she said!”
Kathy Bates' close call with retirement
Although Kathy Bates is thrilled to continue working, she admitted that she had seriously considered retirement before joining 'Matlock.'
In an interview with Parade in 2024, she revealed she had sworn off acting following a negative experience on a film set.
“I swore to my agent—I said, ‘That’s it, I’m done; I’m out of here,’” Bates recalled.
However, just as she made that decision, the opportunity to star in the 'Matlock' reboot came her way.
“They called me one Friday afternoon and said, ‘Listen, they’re doing a pilot of Matlock. You have to read the script. You have to let them know by Monday’,” she shared.
Kathy Bates says acting is the 'life force' for an actor
Despite her initial reluctance, Kathy Bates quickly found herself eagerly awaiting the script.
"So, I hung up and I was kind of grumpy and gruff [from the bad film experience]," she shared.
“There I am, sitting, looking at my watch. Why haven’t they sent a script yet?” she laughed.
“So busted. It’s like, you want to do it. If you're an actor, it's your life force. It’s what you were made to do,” Bates added.
In a September 2024 interview with the New York Times, Bates shared her role in 'Matlock' would be her "last dance."
However, during the Emmy's in 2024, she addressed the statement, saying, “What I meant was, I had one foot out the door until I read the script for ‘Matlock'.”
“And then I read ‘Matlock’ and I said, ‘Okay, close the door. We’re gonna do some more.’ I want it to run for years. It’s that great,” she told Entertainment Weekly.
