Kathy Bates Secretly Battled Ovarian Cancer in Early 00s


Actress Kathy Bates broke through with her role in the horror hit Misery, but the actress has never been one to court the spotlight.

It’s probably difficult for celebrities to handle fame alongside a serious diagnosis, so it makes sense that Bates would keep a large bit of scary medical news to herself- and she did just that when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer while about to film the Brittany Murphy film Little Black Book. Bates- who says she was quite fond of Murphy and misses her terribly following her 2010 pneumonia death- admitted this week that she received the frightening information while in the midst of a busy career period, and kept it to herself, continuing on working while she handled her illness.

The actress is now 63, and sitting down with Anderson Cooper, she explains why she felt the need to handle the ordeal of ovarian cancer alone at the time- Bates says:

“I was advised to [keep the diagnosis secret.] I was contracted to go into a movie at that time, Little Black Book, with Brittany Murphy, who I miss very much… But my doctors at the time, they had to get insurance approval and all of that, so I was very quiet about it. I had to go back to work right away… I guess it’s something I felt I had to face on my own.”

Wow, big hugs for Kathy Bates! Bates also says that it is difficult to reveal a cancer diagnosis to someone who hasn’t been through it:

“Nobody else really knows what you’re going through except another cancer patient. Even though your family is supportive and surrounds you.”

Bates also says that if she had to do it again, she would be more vocal and “courageous,” having been inspired by stars like Melissa Etheridge.

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