Kathy Bates, a famous actress who has been in many TV shows and movies for a long time, recently got some serious news about her health. She’s known for playing strong roles on screen, and in real life, she’s just as tough.
She found out she has a chronic condition, which means she has to make big changes in her life.
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In 1970, Kathy Bates went to New York City to try to become an actress. Looking back on that time, she remembers how she wasn’t seen as a young, pretty lead actress. Instead, she was known as a character actor.
“I was never an ingenue,” Kathy said. “I’ve always just been a character actor. When I was younger, it was tough because I wasn’t considered pretty enough. It was hard not just because I didn’t get as many acting jobs, but also because of how people looked at me.”
Her career on Broadway really took off in 1980 when she played Stella May in “Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.” Even though she missed out on playing some of her stage roles in movies, everything changed when she was 42 years old. That’s when she became a big star almost overnight because of her role as a crazy fan in “Misery,” which won her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
She talked about the kinds of roles she got, saying, “In Hollywood, you’re either young and glamorous and get the main role, or you’re not attractive enough. So, you end up playing the friend, the killer, the lesbian, the doctor, or whatever they need.” She added, “But the actors who play the young, pretty, gets-the-boy-at-the-end roles don’t have as much power. And those who play powerful characters often don’t get to show femininity.”
After her successful acting career, Kathy Bates began directing episodes for TV shows like Homicide: Life on the Street, NYPD Blue, Oz, and the popular series Six Feet Under.
In her personal life, Kathy has faced health challenges. She battled cancer twice: ovarian cancer in 2003 and breast cancer in 2012.
After her breast cancer surgery, Kathy Bates started talking openly about her lymphedema diagnosis. She now serves as a spokesperson for the Lymphatic Education & Research Network.
Kathy Bates has been open about her weight loss of 80 pounds in recent years. Due to her condition, she wears compression sleeves to prevent swelling in her arms. She wears them during flights and when doing strenuous tasks because without them, her condition can get worse.
To manage her condition, Kathy reminds herself to slow down. She said, “If I can stop rushing, relax my shoulders, straighten my spine, breathe deeply, and focus on each little moment of completing a task, I feel more confident in managing LE. The pandemic helped me slow down.”
She encourages anyone with the condition not to let it hold them back. Kathy said, “Wearing compression garments in public, especially when people don’t understand LE, can be tough. But staying home and being inactive will only make things worse for your body and mind.”
Kathy Bates emphasizes not letting her condition define her, which she practices herself. She advocates for more research on lymphedema and supports funding for awareness.
Despite her diagnosis, Kathy doesn’t slow down. She continues to take on roles she loves and do meaningful work.
She’s learned to live well with her condition and even thrive with it.
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