Originally appeared on E! Online
When it comes to her social media usage, Kathy Bates‘ family has an objection.
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“I’m not allowed to be on Instagram,” the “Matlock” star revealed in an exclusive interview with E! News’ Erin Lim at the 2025 Screen Guild Actors Awards Feb. 23, “because my niece Linda says I’ll read five million great ones and one bad one, and I’ll fixate on the bad.” (Check out all the stars on the red carpet here.)
Though when it comes to how beloved she is by fans, she’s viewed exhibit A: The thoughts on her meme-worthy reaction to winning Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role in “Matlock” at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards.
“I was like, I don’t have a speech,” Bates revealed of her stunned look. “That’s what that was about.”
And, yet, she had quite the persuasive argument when she stepped on stage, announcing her plan to gift the trophy to the series’ executive producer Eric Christian Olsen, who lost his Pacific Palisades home in the devastating L.A. wildfires.
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And she has two chances of taking the stage at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall near downtown Los Angeles.
In addition to being nominated once again for “Matlock” — facing off with “Bridgerton”‘s Nicola Coughlan, “The Diplomat”‘s Allison Janney and Keri Russell and “Shogun”‘s Anna Sawai in the drama series category — the Oscar winner is also up for the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series trophy at the SAG Awards, nominated alongside Cate Blanchett, Jodie Foster, Lily Gladstone, Jessica Gunning and Cristin Milioti. (See all the winners here.)
And yet she almost rested her case in Hollywood after a 50-year career.
“I was about it to say sayonara before ‘Matlock’ came along,” the 76-year-old admitted, “because it’s very hard as you get older to find roles that you can spread your wings, but roles that people see you in. And so I was really having second thoughts about whether to say goodbye.”
Then executive producer Jennie Snyder Urman presented quite the convincing case.
Praising the “amazing character” Urman created, Bates gushed, “It has a whole substance underneath it, and we’re doing so well in all of the ratings. And it’s unbelievable. I just keep pinching myself.”
So win, lose or get memed, she’s thrilled to be recognized by her fellow SAG-AFTRA members.
“I think they know what it takes to do this work and they know it’s hard to get the job, first of all, and how to make it look easy,” Bates explained of the honor. “So, you know, to get a nomination from them means a great deal to me. So win or lose, I feel like I’ve gotten their accolade, and I’m very proud of it.”
