Kathy Bates could make Emmy history on 77 for CBS’s ‘Matlock’ reboot
Kathy Bates wins things on the screen and can then win Emmy voters.
Bates, a titan of stage and screen, is ready to make Emmy history this year. If she receives a nomination for her magnetic version in the reboot of CBS’s “Matlock”, she becomes the oldest nominee ever in the Lead Drama Acress category – at the age of 77.
Bates, born on June 28, 1948, would only be two weeks after her birthday when the Emmy nominations of 2025 were announced on July 17. If her name is called – as many believe she is the current leader in the category – she would be the record of Angela Lansbury, who was 70 when she was 70 when she received her last nomination in 1996, she wrote. ”
In “Matlock” Bates Madeline plays “Matty” Matlock, a woman who enters the legal world for decades after his retirement under apparently tragic conditions. The public version of her story is that she became a widower and was financially ruined by the gambling addiction of her husband and then forced to raise her grandson after the devastating death of her daughter in a car accident. She was hired at the prestigious law firm Jacobson Moore, where she reports to Olympia, a sharp junior partner, despite her own decades of legal wisdom.
But under the surface, Matlock is not who she claims to be.
Her real name is Madeline Kingston – a woman of resources, still happily married, but houses a secret Vendetta. The real loss she mourns is that of her daughter, who died of an overdose of opioids. Her reinvestment as “Matlock” – a nod to the beloved TV series – is part of a calculated mission to seek justice for the death of her daughter.
Bates balances the dual identities with trademark Nuance and offers the public a character steeped in humor, determined and heartache. It is a role that is tailor-made for an actress of her caliber, and the early Buzz suggests that Emmy voters are paying attention.
This would not be the first time of Bates in the Emmy Spotlight. She has previously won two Emmy’s – for “Two and A Half Men” in the category Guest Comedy Actress and for “American Horror Story: Coven” in supporting actress (Limited Series). She also earned a nomination in the main drama actress category in 2012 for her work in ‘Harry’s Law’, where she played Harriet Korn, another fierce, principle lawyer. At that time she was 64 and is currently as the fifth oldest nominee in the history of the category.
Bates is undoubtedly respected in the Hollywood industry and is also an Academy Award winner for her performance as an obsessive fan in “Misery” (1990), and a Tony Award -nominated for chief actress in a play for “Night, Mother” from 1983.
“Matlock” (CBS) – “Tricks of the Trade – part one” and “Tricks of the Trade – part two”
Thanks to Sonja Flemming/CBS
Nevertheless, a nomination for “Matlock” would place her on top of a remarkable list of acting legends that deserved Emmy -Knikjes in impressive second chapters of their career, including Cicely Tyson (“Sweet Justice”, Age 70), Imelda Staunton (“The Crown, 68) and” Age “,” “” “).
Here is a glance at the 10 oldest previous nominees in the category that would surpass Bates:
- Angela Lansbury – “Murder, She wrote” (1996) – 70 years
- Cicely Tyson – “Sweet Justice” (1995) – Age 70
- Imelda Staunton – “The Crown” (2024) – Age 68
- Glenn Close – “Damage” (2012) – 65 years old
- Kathy Bates – “Harry’s Law” (2012) – Age 64
- Joan Blondell – “Here come the brides” (1970) – 63 years old
- Sally Field – “Brothers & Sisters” (2009) – 62 years old
- Jeanette Nolan – “Dirty Sally” (1974) – Age 62
- Barbara Stanwyck – “The Big Valley” (1968) – 60 years old
- Barbara Bel Geddes – “Dallas” (1981) – Age 58
From 2025, Close holds the record as the oldest winner in the category at 65. If Bates brings the statue home, she will break that record for 12 years. It has been a decade since a woman from a network TV program has won this category -Viola Davis for ABC’s “How to get with Murder”, and 11 years since CBS has taken this category home with Julianna Margulies for “The Good Wife” in 2014.
Bates is embedded in a competitive race that is expected to include Keri Russell (“The Diplomat”), Britt Lower (“Severance”) and Bella Ramsey, which were the fourth-Youngest-nomine in the category in 2023 on 1923 for “The Last of Us”.
For comparison: in the main drama actor category, Anthony Hopkins currently has the record as the oldest nominee – at 79 – for his 2017 performance in “Westworld.”
See Emmy Award -Presparations below:
Variety Awards Circuit: Emmys
In an industry that is often criticized for bringing older women offside, Bates continues to define what is possible for actresses of a certain age. Her performance in “Matlock” has earned her a critics choice prize earlier this year and defeated the critical favorite Anna Sawai for “Shōgun.”
In addition to bates, CBS gives substantial prices for “Matlock” across the board. The network also serves critics -choice -nominated Skye P. Marshall, Jason Ritter, David del Rio and Leah Lewis in the supporting drama races in, and experienced actor Beau Bridges will participate in the guest drama Actor Race, who would belong to the top 10 eldest nominated in the age of 83. Moreover, writer and executive producer Jennie Snyder Urman will submit the pilot for consideration.
Whether she takes the Emmy home or not, a NOM would mark a crowning performance in a career full of them – and another reason why Kathy Bates remains one of the most respected and resilient talents of her generation.
The two -part season finale will be broadcast on 17 April on CBS.
View the Emmy predictions of Emmy in important series and acting categories below. For a complete breakdown of each Primetime Emmy race, go to our main prize page and explore the official rankings on each individual category page.
Displayed (LR): Kathy Bates such as Madeline “Matty” Matlock.
CBS
Drama series
“Andor”
“The diplomat”
“The Last of Us”
“The Pitt”
“Severance”
“Slow horses”
“Squid -Game”
“The White Lotus”
Main actor (drama)
Sterling K. Brown, “Paradise”
Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Day of the Jackal”
Adam Scott, “Severance”
Billy Bob Thornton, “Landman”
Noah WYLE, “The Pitt”
Lead actress (drama)
Kathy Bates, “Matlock”
Britt Lager, “Dismissal”
Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets”
Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Bella Ramsey, “The Last of Us”
Keri Russell, “The Diplomat”
Supporting actor (drama)
Zach Cherry, “Severance”
Walton Goggins, “The White Lotus”
Jason Isaacs, “The White Lotus”
Young Mazino, “The Last of Us”
Pedro Pascal, “The Last of Us”
Sam Rockwell, “The White Lotus”
Tramell Tillman, “Severance”
John Turturro, “Severance”
Supporting actress (drama)
Adria Arjona, “Andor”
Patricia Arquette, “Severance”
Carrie Coon, “The White Lotus”
Kaitlyn Dever, “The Last of Us”
Allison janne, “The Diplomat”
Katherine Lanasa, “The Pitt”
Catherine O’hara, “The Last of Us”
Parker Posey, “The White Lotus”
Guest actor (drama)
Andy Garcia, “Landman”
Scott Glenn, “The White Lotus”
Shawn Hatosy, “The Pitt”
Joe Pantoliano, “The Last of Us”
Jeffrey Wright, “The Last of Us”
Guest actress (drama)
Gwendoline Christie, “Severance”
Fiona Shaw, “Bad Sisters”
Hilary Swank, “Yellowjackets”
Tracey Ullman, “Black Doves”
Merrit we, “dismissal”
Comedy series
“Abbott Elementary”
“De Beer”
“The four seasons”
“Hacks”
“Nobody wants this”
“Only murders in the building”
“Shrink”
“The Studio”
Lead Actor (Comedy)
Adam Brody, “Nobody wants this”
Steve Martin, “Only killing in the building”
Seth Rogen, “The Studio”
Martin Short, “Only killing in the building”
Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear”
Lead actress (comedy)
Kristen Bell, “Nobody wants this”
Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”
Tina Fey, “The Four Seasons”
Natasha Lyonne, “Poker Face”
Jean Smart, “Hacks”
Supporting actor (comedy)
Ike Barinholtz, “The Studio”
Colman Domingo, “The Four Seasons”
Paul W. Downs, “Hacks”
Harrison Ford, “Krimpen”
EBON MOSS-BACH, “The Bear”
Tyler James Williams, “Abbott Elementary”
Bowen Yang, “Saturday Night Live”
Supporting actress (comedy)
Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”
Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
Kathryn Hahn, “The Studio”
Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
Linda Lavin, “Mid-Century Modern”
Catherine O’hara, “The Studio”
Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
Guest actor (comedy)
Jon Bernthal, “The Bear”
John Cena, “The Bear”
Bryan Cranston, “The Studio”
Timothée Chalamet, “Saturday Night Live”
Christopher McDonald, “Hacks”
Martin Scorsese, “The Studio”
Guest actress (comedy)
Jamie Lee Curtis, “The Bear”
Cynthia Erivo, “Poker Face”
Ariana Grande, “Saturday Night Live”
Melissa McCarthy, “Murds only in the building”
Julianne Nicholson, “Hacks”
Sarah Polley, “The Studio”
Limited or anthology series
“Adolescence”
“Black Mirror”
“Satisfaction”
“Samples: The Lyle and Erik Mendez Story”
“The Penguin”
Television film
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy”
“The Gorge”
“Mountainhead”
“From my mind”
“Rebel Ridge”
Main actor (limited or anthology series or TV film)
Colin Farrell, “The Penguin”
Paul Giamatti, “Black Mirror”
Stephen Graham, “Adolescence”
Brian Tyree Henry, “Dope Thief”
Cooper Koch, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”
Main actress (limited or anthology series or TV film)
Cate Blanchett, “Disclaimer”
Cristin Milioti, “The Penguin”
Ellen Pompeo, “Good American Family”
Amanda Seyfried, “Long Bright River”
Michelle Williams, “Die for sex”
Supporting actor (limited or anthology series or TV film)
Javier Bardem, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”
Owen Cooper, “Adolescence”
Jay Duplass, “Die for sex”
Rhenzy Feliz, “The Penguin”
Diego Luna, “La Máquina”
Ashley Walters, “Adolescence”
Supporting actress (limited or anthology series or TV film)
Emma Corrin, “Black Mirror”
Erin Dooerty, “Adolescence”
Lesley Manville, “Disclaimer”
Deirdre O’Connell, “The Penguin”
Jenny Slate, “Die for sex”
Christine Tremarco, “Adolescence”
