Kathy Bates joins Hungry Dogs with James Patterson for a discussion about artistic roots, the long path a creative career requires, and Bates’ experiences and thoughts while filming ‘Matlock’ on CBS. Kathy talks about her first opportunities at SMU in Texas and then in New York, off-Broadway, and how they helped catapult her stage and screen career. They share some of the ways they’ve kept their artistic spark lit, and to Kathy that sometimes means “negotiating with yourself”. She also discusses her takeaways from working with director Rob Reiner on the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s Misery, and how her love of reading and words informs her work as an actor.

Follow James Patterson:

00:00 Intro

01:08 Matlock and Career Choices

08:04 Finding Humanity in Characters

12:29 Reflections on Aging and Career Longevity

13:49 Collaborations and Future Projects

20:18 Kathy’s Theater Beginnings

22:48 The Value of Storytelling

24:22 Challenges and Triumphs in Acting

25:40 Lessons from Misery

29:32 American Horror Story and Historical Research

32:23 Directing Experiences and Overcoming Cancer

38:53 The Importance of Reading and Education

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Kathy Bates on Matlock, Misery, and What’s Beneath the Page