Losing an Oscar can stir feelings of disappointment and doubt, even for seasoned actors with multiple awards to their name. Kathy Bates recalled one such moment when she experienced the sting of defeat alongside longtime rival Meryl Streep during the 2003 Academy Awards. Both were nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category—Bates for About Schmidt and Streep for Adaptation—but the award went to Catherine Zeta-Jones for Chicago.
In a candid conversation on Dinner's on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Bates shared how she and Streep coped with the loss. "We were both nominated the year Catherine Zeta-Jones won," Bates said. "We were both up for Supporting [Actress], and it was a long night after we lost." Zeta-Jones' win early in the evening left the two actresses with much of the night still to endure.
As the night dragged on, Bates recalled Streep's quick action to lift their spirits: "Meryl sailed by during the commercial break, saying, 'Come on, we're going to the bar.'" Together, they headed for a drink, sharing a lighthearted moment reminiscent of classic Hollywood rivalries like those between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis.
Reflecting on the shared experience, Bates explained the catharsis of the moment. “She slammed her evening bag down on the bar and said, ‘I’m having a vodka, straight, neat,’ and I slammed my evening bag down and said, ‘I’m having what she’s having,’" Bates laughed. "We tossed it back and toasted each other. It was a moment when I could see in her eyes—and I’m sure she could see in mine—how badly we both wanted it. But I’ve always admired her so much."
Though Bates harbored feelings of rivalry and envy toward Streep earlier in her career, she eventually came to appreciate their different paths. Bates acknowledged Streep’s transformative performances, such as her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher and the emotionally intense Sophie's Choice train scene. “I could never do that. I could never attempt it," Bates confessed. "I’m thrilled by it, and I’m envious of it.”
Bates also reflected on her own career and the roles that allowed her to showcase her range. "I always think of Dolores Claiborne as my Meryl Streep role," Bates said, crediting the 1995 film with allowing her to stretch her acting abilities. "If I had more roles like that, I think I would have become a better actress than I am now."
The two actresses' relationship grew over time, and Bates admitted to overcoming her earlier feelings of competition. She revealed a dream that helped her come to terms with her admiration for Streep. “I remember in this dream, I was in a tub, empty, but I was in it, and I was wearing Jackie Kennedy’s suit from the assassination," Bates recalled. "And Meryl was outside the tub. I had had a stroke and said, ‘You win.’” Bates realized in that moment that comparing herself to Streep was futile, as their careers and talents were uniquely different.
Bates, whose Oscar-winning performance in Misery bested Streep’s turn in Postcards from the Edge in 1991, shared that she had come to admire and respect Streep deeply, despite their early rivalry. "I think up until that moment, I was comparing myself to her, but then I realized, ‘No way, Jose, could I have done these roles.’”
Source: Entertainment Weekly