‘Matlock’ Star Kathy Bates Details Her Incredible 100-Pound Weight Loss

Kathy Bates has every reason to celebrate. Professionally, the 76-year-old’s Matlock reboot is off to a roaring start on CBS. And personally, the award-winning actress is feeling great health-wise too, which includes losing 100 pounds over the last seven years. 

She set the record straight to People on rumors that Ozempic was the main reason behind her significant weight loss. Bates attributed the first 80 pounds to changes to her lifestyle and diet with the remaining balance to the drug itself. “I have to impress upon people out there that this was hard work for me, especially during the pandemic. It’s very hard to say you’ve had enough.” 

Bates told the publication she focused more on her health after her type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Knowing it ran in the family and seeing her father’s leg get amputated and watching one of her sisters “scared me straight.” 

Above, Kathy at Hollywood event in 2013 (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images for AFI)

Kathy attends CBS’ Fall Schedule Event on May 02, 2024. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

She opened up that it was her niece who got her started on the right path. The advice given was to listen to the body. A diet overhaul was also in order as Bates admitted, “I used to eat terribly: burgers and Cokes and pizza.” Considering the time food is ingested has also made the difference as 8 p.m. is her usual cutoff. 

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Working on Matlock sets has helped keep her on her toes. Now that filming has finished, Bates spoke to People about what she’ll do to pick up a new routine. “I have a treadmill here at the house, and I might try Pilates,” Bates said. “People always ask, ‘Don’t you want a trainer?’ No, I really don’t. I don’t want anybody over my shoulder. It’s just very important to me to keep this going. I don’t want to slip.'”

The motivated star has no signs of stopping, despite creating a media frenzy over saying Matlock would be her ‘last dance.’ This after doing some of the best work of her career on the small and big screen over the decade with turns from American Horror Story to Richard Jewell.

Fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Bates later went on to explain, “I think people got confused and thought I was going to retire. What I meant was, how can it get any better? I would love for this to keep going.” And Matlock will keep going when it returns after its strong premiere on October 17. 

Matlock, Thursdays, 9/8c, CBS