Overview

• Bates told Vanity Fair that Marshall declined to cast her in 1991’s Frankie and Johnny because he couldn’t envision her as a romantic lead.
• She originated the role of Frankie in the 1987 Off-Broadway production of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, earning Obie and Drama Desk nods.
• Michelle Pfeiffer was cast opposite Al Pacino in the film adaptation, a choice Bates attributes to Hollywood’s narrow beauty standards.
• Bates recalled earlier career stings, including a reporter’s on-camera doubt during her press tour for At Play in the Fields of the Lord that left her in tears.
• Her recent standing ovation at the Critics Choice Awards for Matlock highlights a late-career resurgence and industry recognition beyond looks.