Ep. 121 – Kathy Bates (feat. Billy Ray Brewton)

The B-Side: A Film Stage Podcast

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between. Today we discuss a character actress, multiple Oscar nominee (and winner) and living legend who is still somehow underrated: Kathy “Bobo” Bates! Our B-Sides today are: A Home of Our Own, Dolores Claiborne, Love Liza, and Richard Jewell. The actress made her bones in the theater, originating roles in iconic stuff such as ‘Night Mother and Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. Our guest is Billy Ray Brewton, host of the superb The Incinerator Podcast, the Movie Mixtapes podcast, and the Center Clueless podcast. Brewton is also the Festival Director/Lead Programmer of Make Believe Seattle. We talk to Brewton about why Bates is his favorite working actress, her innate Southern charm, her late break into movies, her essential performance in Dolores Claiborne, and why Fried Green Tomatoes is so important to the state of Alabama. Additional fun tidbits include: the strange career of A Home of Our Own director Tony Bill, the underrated Bates-led TV show Harry’s Law, the exciting acting Oscar wins that happened in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, and some of Bates’ other B-Sides (Angus, Primary Colors, Bonneville). Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter and Facebook at @TFSBSide. Also enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. Enjoy!