Kathy Bates Retirement Set for After Matlock Reboot Series

Oscar winner Kathy Bates has shared her plans to retire from acting after starring in CBS‘ upcoming reboot of the Andy Griffith-led classic legal drama series Matlock, which will make its debut on September 22. This marks the 76-year-old veteran actress’ first TV project after previously starring in American Horror Story: Apocalypse in 2018.

Why does Kathy Bates want to retire from acting?

During a recent interview, Bates confirmed that the Matlock reboot series will be her final acting project as she intends to retire after the CBS series comes to an end. Before signing on to lead the reboot, the Titanic star admitted that she was already ready for retirement after having a bad experience during the production of an unnamed movie.

“This is my last dance,” Bates said (via The New York Times). “It [acting] becomes my life. Sometimes I get jealous of having this talent. Because I can’t hold it back, and I just want my life.”

However, she ultimately decided to postpone her retirement after reading the script for the Matlock reboot, which led her to connect the titular character. “Everything I’ve prayed for, worked for, clawed my way up for, I am suddenly able to be asked to use all of it,” Bates recalled.

Matlock is created and executive produced by showrunner Jenny Snyder Urman. Bates will lead the reboot as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian. According to the synopsis, “after Matty achieved success in her younger years, she decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within.”

The cast will also include Skye P. Marshall as Olympia, Jason Ritter as Julian, David Del Rio as Billy, and Leah Lewis as Sarah. The reboot is executive produced by Bates, Eric Christian Olsen, Joanna Klein, John Will, and Kat Coiro.