Los Angeles [US], August 15 : Celebrated actress Kathy Bates has earned a 2025 Emmy nomination for Best Drama Actress, becoming the oldest performer ever nominated in the category at age 77. The nod comes for her role as Madeline “Matty” Matlock in CBS’s Matlock revival, which premiered on October 17, 2024, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The legal drama reimagines the classic series with Bates portraying a wealthy, retired lawyer who returns to the courtroom under mysterious circumstances. Despite her acclaimed performance, Bates revealed that she hadn’t initially planned on returning to lead television roles.
“Quite frankly, I was thinking about going into semi-retirement and just waiting to see what came along that I might like to do,” Bates told The Hollywood Reporter upon the series’ premiere. “So this came as a total surprise to me — and continues to be because of the latest numbers that we’ve gotten.”
Developed by Jennie Snyder Urman, Matlock made a strong impression, drawing in 7.73 million viewers for its debut episode. That figure marked the largest CBS series premiere audience in over five years, since The Code premiered following an episode of NCIS in April 2019.
Bates’ Emmy recognition adds to her already impressive legacy, and her historic nomination is being celebrated as a milestone for both the actress and the industry.