Kathy Bates

American director and actress Kathleen Doyle Bates is the recipient of several accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, an Academy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Bates got her degree in Southern Methodist University before she packed up and moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting. Her first stage performance Off-Broadway was in the comedy-drama stage production of Vanities back in 1976.

When Bates was 55 years old, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Fortunately, she was able to successfully battle the disease. However, in September 2012, she stated through her Twitter account that she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. In recent years, Bates has appeared in various films, including The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, On the Basis of Sex, and in the final season of The Big Bang Theory.