Overview

• In a May 27 interview, Bates recalled that Garry Marshall doubted audiences would find her onscreen kiss romantic and passed her over for the 1991 Frankie and Johnny film adaptation
• She first played Frankie in the 1987 Off-Broadway production Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, earning Obie and Drama Desk nominations
• Michelle Pfeiffer ultimately took the movie role opposite Al Pacino, while Bates continued to face bias and typecasting based on her appearance
• Despite winning the Best Actress Oscar for Misery in 1991, Bates said Hollywood’s conventional beauty standards limited her casting opportunities early in her career
• She described her standing ovation at the Critics Choice Awards for Matlock as a powerful affirmation of her resilience and talent