Kathy Bates Reveals She's Lost 100 Lbs Over Last Six Years, Sets Record Straight on Retirement

Kathy Bates is opening up about her weight loss journey. While promoting her upcoming CBS legal drama Matlock during an interview with Variety, the actress shared she lost 100 pounds over the last six years, and revealed that at her heaviest, it was difficult for her to walk. Bates, 76, credited her upcoming role in Matlock, a gender-swapping reboot of the '90s series, for motivating her to lose weight. The broadcast drama marks the legendary star's first lead role in six years. "It's helped me tremendously that, over the last six or seven years, I've lost 100 pounds," she said. "I don't think I've been this slim since I was in college." Bates looked back to when she was at her heaviest in 2011. At the time, she was the lead in the comedy-drama series Harry's Law. "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," she recalled, "but now I have a tremendous amount of energy." Meanwhile, Bates also set the record straight on recent comments she made in The New York Times about when she'll retire from acting. While she previously suggested that Matlock will be her final project, she clarified to Variety that she hopes she'll have "several years" starring on the CBS show before she considers retirement. "I can't believe I'm saying that about doing episodic TV, but this has been so much of a challenge and a delight," Bates shared. "Matty is certainly my magic carpet right now, and I want her to go sailing on for quite a long time." Matlock premieres on September 22 on CBS.