Kathy Bates almost missed out on one of her most beloved roles. The actress recently admitted she tossed the script for The Waterboy straight into the trash.
She made the confession during a video interview with The Hollywood Reporter. At the time, she had no idea who Adam Sandler was.
Bates remembered getting the football-themed script back in the late 1990s. She read about twelve pages before deciding it wasn’t for her. She figured the project felt silly and didn’t see the appeal.
So she threw it away. Luckily, her niece, who works with her, spotted it in the trash. Her niece couldn’t believe Bates didn’t recognize Sandler’s name, especially given his famous “Chanukah Song” from his Saturday Night Live days in 1994.
That reaction made Bates take a second look. She decided to give the script another shot, mostly as a favor to a friend. The decision paid off in a big way.
Bates called the experience one of the most fun she’s ever had on set. She praised Sandler as brilliant and said she simply dove in and enjoyed herself. The film helped launch Sandler into wider stardom.
In The Waterboy, Bates played Mama Boucher, the fiercely protective mother of Sandler’s awkward title character, Bobby Boucher. The 1998 comedy became a cult classic.
She Almost Skipped Matlock Too
This isn’t the only time Bates nearly walked away from a script before finishing it. She told THR she almost passed on Matlock for the same reason.
She admitted she didn’t read the entire screenplay at first. After a disappointing project left her feeling discouraged, she wasn’t sure acting was still worth it.
Then the Matlock script arrived. She started reading but assumed it was just a standard procedural drama. A friend in New York pushed her to keep going.
She finished it and discovered a twist that changed her mind completely. The story finally felt meaningful to her, not just another courtroom case.
Matlock follows Bates as Madeline Matlock, a sharp lawyer who rejoins a major law firm later in life. She uses clever strategies to win cases and uncover the truth.
The show has already been renewed for a third season. Bates says she feels especially grateful for the steady work, particularly with so many people in the industry struggling to find jobs right now.
