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At 76, you'd think Kathy Bates would be basking in retirement, but nope — she's still out here proving she's as sharp and dazzling as ever. In fact, some might argue she's looking better than she has in years. But her appearance at the 2025 Golden Globes had more than a few fans raising their eyebrows — and not just because she turned up serving serious glam.
To say that Bates turned heads at the awards show would be an understatement. She impressed everyone when she showcased her staggering 100-pound weight loss, instantly sparking speculation that she might have hopped on the Ozempic bandwagon like practically half of the stars in Hollywood. The "Titanic" star, however, has never shied away from the rumors. While she admitted the medication played a role, she was quick to set the record straight. "There's been a lot of talk that I just was able to do this because of Ozempic," she once told People. "But I have to impress upon people out there that this was hard work for me, especially during the pandemic. It's very hard to say you've had enough."
But while her physical transformation wowed the crowd, it wasn't her weight loss that had fans concerned. When Bates stepped on stage to present an award, she appeared to be shaking uncontrollably. What gives?
Fans are concerned about the state of Kathy Bates' health
Kathy Bates hit the stage at the 2025 Golden Globes alongside "Hamilton" star Anthony Ramos to present the award for Best Supporting Female Actor – Television. As part of their bit, Bates dispensed advice on how to maintain a long career in Hollywood, which includes being nice to PAs and swiping food from set catering when filming out of town — because, in her words, hotel minibars are a total scam. But while the crowd laughed along, fans at home couldn't shake the feeling that something was off as Bates appeared to be trembling throughout the segment. "Hope Kathy Bates Is Ok...Did Anyone Else Notice That Her Entire Body Was Shaking & She had To Hold Onto Her Co- Presenter To Steady Herself?" one fan on X, formerly Twitter, observed. "Is Kathy Bates shaking? Hope she's ok health-wise," questioned another.
Bates has long maintained that she's doing just fine, but her health history naturally fuels speculation. The Oscar winner has dealt with breast cancer in the past and currently lives with lymphedema, a chronic condition causing swelling in the arms and legs. Could it have been a flare-up? Whatever the reason, Bates isn't losing sleep over it. "Other people's stares may hurt at first, but they have no power to define us as people. We have lymphedema. We're not lymphedema," she told Medline Plus of living with the condition.
Health concerns or not, Bates isn't slowing down. With "Matlock" thriving, retirement is the last thing on her mind. "I can't believe I'm 76, and I want the show to run for another five years," she shared with People. "I'm going, 'Holy crap! I'll be 81.' 76 and 81 seems 20 years apart to me."