Veteran actress Kathy Bates marked a celebratory evening at the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, January 4, stepping onto the black carpet at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, with both a prestigious nomination and a renewed sense of confidence.
The 77-year-old star is nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her leading role in Matlock, adding to an awards legacy that includes previous Critics Choice wins in 1999 and 2003. Bates arrived in a sleek pantsuit paired with jewel-encrusted flats, posing for photos alongside her Matlock co-star Henry Haber.
Although Haber has yet to appear on the series, he is scheduled to join the cast in the latter half of season two. According to Deadline, he will portray Hunter, a younger associate from the firm’s floater pool, described as “a total bro.”
Beyond her on-screen achievements, Bates drew attention for her dramatic physical transformation. Over the past several years, the Oscar-winning actress has lost approximately 100 pounds, a change she has openly linked to prioritizing her health following a type 2 diabetes diagnosis in 2017.
Bates has said her decision to make lasting lifestyle changes—including improving her diet, increasing daily exercise, and using a GLP-1 medication—was deeply influenced by her family’s history with the disease.
“Diabetes runs in my family, and I’d seen what my father had gone through,” Bates told People earlier this year, recalling his leg amputation and her sister’s ongoing health struggles. “It terrified me. It scared me straight.”
Reflecting on her progress, she added, “Now that I’ve been able to get really healthy, I can move, I can breathe, I can have fun.”
As the awards ceremony unfolds, Bates’ nomination and personal health journey stand as twin milestones in a career defined by resilience, reinvention, and enduring talent.
