Viewers of the 2024 Emmy Awards were completely shocked after seeing a slimmed down version of Kathy Bates.
The star of Matlock, who before her dramatic weight loss revealed she was “facing diabetes,” admits she hasn’t “been this slim” since college.
Fans are now speculating the 76-year-old used a weight loss drug to shed 100 pounds, saying “she doesn’t look healthy” and that “Ozempic has aged her.”
At the 2024 Emmy Awards on September 15, Kathy Bates served a breathtaking look that placed the 76-year-old actor at the center of conversations.
Despite never being a “beauty queen,” The Miracle Club star is actually getting better with age.
“I have to say I give an inner wink when I see friends who have been beauty queens who are no longer working because of ageism, and in my case, I’ve been able to continue working for many years because I don’t look like that,” she tells Variety in a September 2024 interview. Referring to her chilly portrayal of killer Annie Wilkes in Stephen King’s Misery, she adds, “I don’t think I would have gotten the role in Misery if I had been a beauty queen.”
What she did get was a reputation of an actor who can effortlessly slay the role of a cold-hearted villain.
At the awards ceremony, Bates – who won in 2014 won an Emmy for her terrifying portrayal of Madame Delphine LaLaurie in American Horror Story: Coven – presented an award alongside Hollywood villains, Giancarlo Esposito and Anthony Starr.
Bates sparkled on the stage in a floor-length purple dress, embedded with a delicate layer of dark sequin that reflected the bright lights of the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
And since she lost 100 pounds, she paired the look with her incredible new figure.
‘Facing diabetes’
Previously speaking with Extra, the About Schmidt star opened up about the moment she knew it was time to make a lifestyle change.
“I was facing diabetes, it runs in my family, I really didn’t want to live with that,” she said.
Plus, in 2003, Bates learned she had ovarian cancer, and then in 2012, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a double mastectomy she developed lymphedema – that can cause severe swelling – and weight loss helps ease the symptoms.
‘I’m ashamed’
In her interview with Variety, the Oscar-winning actor shared that when working on Harry’s Law, a legal comedy she starred from 2011 to 2012, she was at her heaviest and weighed down by the extra pounds.
“I had to sit down every moment that I could. It was hard for me to walk. I’m ashamed I let myself get so out of shape.”
A healthy change in lifestyle was necessary.
“After you eat for 20-30 minutes, you experience an involuntary sigh. It’s communication between stomach and brain telling you [that you’ve] had enough,” she tells Extra. “And what I discovered is if you listen to that sigh and push that plate away for just five minutes, you realize you’re satisfied, and you don’t have to eat more.”
She adds, “This is the best health I’ve been in in years and I’m so grateful, it’s a miracle.”
“Now I have a tremendous amount of energy,” says Bates, referring to her weight loss. “It’s helped me tremendously that, over the last six or seven years, I’ve lost 100 pounds.”
She adds, “I don’t think I’ve been this slim since I was in college.”
‘Fabulous’ and ‘healthier’
When the Dolores Claiborne star appeared at the 2024 Emmy Awards, fans were stunned by her dramatic weight loss.
Expressing their views on social media, online users praised her talents and commitment to living healthy.
“Incredibly talented actress and looks fabulous! Go get ‘em, Kathy!!” writes one netizen, while a second shares, “She’s always been beautiful, now she is healthier. Great actress!”
Other members of the online population speculated she’s taking a prescription – like Ozempic or Wegovy (used to treat type 2 diabetes) – that works the brain to create satiety.
“Ozempic is not a healthy way to lose weight, and it shows. Keep it to diabetics for whom it was designed to take. Move and change your eating habits!” snipes one user, who clearly missed the actors’ previous health concerns with diabetes.
“Great actress but I think Ozempic has aged her,” writes one while a second shares, “I love Kathy Bates but Ozempic does not suit her!”
A third asks “Why has she lost so much weight? She doesn’t look healthy.”
Another, defending the star, remarks, “Make up your mind. You rip people for being overweight, then rip them for resorting to the only thing that has helped them their entire life. Contrary to popular belief, diet and exercise do not always work.”
If you’re concerned about losing the star to retirement, Bates said “My friends say I’ll probably be like Molière and die in my chair on the stage…because it really is a life force for me.”
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