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Kathy Bates explains why Matlock will be her last dance

The Oscar-winner will be starring in CBS's Matlock revival.

By Evelyn Ulrich

Kathy Bates stars as the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline Matlock in the new drama series, MATLOCK, inspired by the classic television series of the same name. Madeline achieved success in her younger years and decides to rejoin the work force at a prestigious law firm, where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within. MATLOCK premiers in the 2023-2024 season on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on demand on
Kathy Bates stars as the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline Matlock in the new drama series, MATLOCK, inspired by the classic television series of the same name. Madeline achieved success in her younger years and decides to rejoin the work force at a prestigious law firm, where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within. MATLOCK premiers in the 2023-2024 season on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on demand on /
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Kathy Bates has accomplished plenty in her lengthy career, with her newest venture as the lead Madeline "Matty" Matlock in the CBS revival Matlock, set to premiere on Sunday, Sept. 22. While the actress is grateful for the work she received, Bates emphasized that she'd like to retire following Matlock's conclusion.

Bates opened up about her retirement plans with The New York Times stating, "This is my last dance." Her decision wasn't made in haste, as she captivated us with her talent in such films as Titanic, A Home of Our Own, and Fried Green Tomatoes and her TV roles in Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story and Feud.

Kathy Bates updates her Matlock retirement plans

That same talent drove Bates to step around the Rabbit's Hole of Retirement, and in the same NYT interview, she's jealous of her gift. It all happened when she felt she failed while working on a movie production. She didn't name the film, but it did aid the influence of wanting to step away from the cameras.

"It becomes my life. Sometimes, I get jealous of having this talent because I can’t hold it back, and I just want my life."

But after reading the script for Matlock, where Bates will star as Madeline "Matty" Matlock, a former lawyer who comes out of retirement to help solve cases at a high-end law firm, she said the role is "[e]verything I've prayed for, worked for, clawed my way up for, I am suddenly able to be asked to use all of it. It's exhausting."

On the Emmys 2024 red carpert, Bates elaborated on what she meant in terms of her NYT interview and retirement goals with Entertainment Weekly.

""What I meant was, I had one foot out the door until I read the script for Matlock. And then I read Matlock, and I was like, 'Okay, close the door. We're gonna do some more.' I want it to run for years. It's that good."

Bates uses her natural Southern charm in Madeline and her age old wit to win cases despite the fact that, as described in the trailer below, she was last a practicing lawyer in 1991. What's fantastic is that she's keeping all the younger attorneys on their toes as Matty delivers unexpected mind techniques to get the criminals to come clean.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bates described working on the CBS procedural: "...the hallmark of this experience for me is the passion, the joy, and the level of the craft that showrunner Jennie Snyder Urma brings to each [Matlock] script." The Oscar winner emphasized that "everyone's excited" about Matlock and what it'll bring to the television landscape.

Whether the series runs for one season or 10, or maybe even beyond, Bates wants to keep playing Matty because she feels connected to the character, embodying her own insecurities and accomplishments into her.

Matlock premieres Sunday, Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Episode 2 will air on Thursday, Oct. 17, the series will then begin airing in the 9 p.m. slot.

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