Kathy Bates Rips Up Acceptance Speech After Losing At Golden Globes

Kathy Bates didn’t win at the 2025 Golden Globes, and her reaction to her loss has gone viral on social media.

Bates was nominated at the awards show for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series — Drama for her work on the CBS drama Matlock. However, Shōgun’s Anna Sawai took the trophy, which meant that Bates had no use for an acceptance speech.

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Each female actor nominated had a camera on them with a live shot to capture their reactions following their win or loss. After presenters Colman Domingo and Salma Hayek read the winner’s name, Bates graciously gave a round of applause to Sawai.

As the broadcast started to focus on Sawai and follow her reaction as she walked on stage to accept the award, cameras captured Bates as she ripped up a piece of paper she had in her hands.

Alongside Bates and Sawai, other female actors nominated included Emma D’Arcy (House of the Dragon), Maya Erskine (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), Kiera Knightley (Black Doves), and Keri Russell (The Diplomat).

Bates recently returned to acting as the star of the CBS series Matlock, a reboot of the series which starred Andy Griffith in the titled role. Ahead of the court procedural premiere, Bates told The New York Times the show was her “last dance” and would retire once its over.

Bates’ acting retirement will not be soon, as CBS recently ordered a second season of Matlock following a strong ratings start.

Matlock revolves around Bates, who plays Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian who achieved success in her younger years and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases, all while investigating a deeply personal secret of her own.

Watch Bates’ moment from the Golden Globes below.

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