Kathy Bates is in the Emmy conversation this year for her lead role on CBS’ new Matlock . But her name has been synonymous with awards buzz for most of her 50-plus years on stage and screen. The Tennessee native had moved to New York after college and was a well-established theater actress before she broke through in Hollywood with her Oscar-winning performance in 1990’s Misery , the Stephen King adaptation in which she brought Annie Wilkes to life.

Not long after, the Television Academy began to recognize the actress for her small-screen work (she’d been playing minor TV roles since 1978), nominating her for performances in shows like 3rd Rock From the Sun and Six Feet Under . The 10th nom proved to be the charm, when Bates earned her first Emmy as outstanding guest actress in a

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