- Theresa Russell, Straight Time, 1978. Her first movie audition – in Dustin Hoffman’s rented LA house. “He was holding up a screen between us because he was supposed to inside and I was supposed to be outside.” You had to be there… She lost Jenny but won another role,. Selma.
- Sissy Spacek, ‘night Mother, 1986. “It’s such a shame we weren’t allowed to do that on film, ” Bates said to her mother in the Broadway play, Annie Pitoniak. They both won Tony awards. “But they needed a name.” And got two. Anne Bancroft mothering Sissy. Bates loved them both, especiially Bancroft. “When I didn’t get the Oscar for Dolores Claibourne, she sent me an Annie – a lovely card. I still treasure it.”
- Jenny Agutter, Darkman,1989. When young director Sam Raimi saw his dream project – The Shadow, based on Orson Welles’ radio character – go to Robert Zemeckis (finally, badly, to Russel Mulcahy), Sam created his own disfigured superhero from a mix of others and called him Darkman. Perfect for the new Irishman in town. Bates changed her mind about her cameo as the hero’s burns doctor. Director John Landis (playing a medico) asked Sam to use true Brit Jenny from his 1980 American Werewolf in London. Although she was, uncredited, this was her Hollywood mv ie debut.
- Michelle Pfeiffer, Frankie and Johnny, 1991. US playwright Terrence McNally created Frankie for Bates. Yet again, Broadway glory meant zilch to Hollywood. The film version starred Al Pacino and Pfeiffer – who, incidentally, partnered Bates in Chéri, 2008.
- Queen Latifah, Chicago, 2002.
- Christine Baranski, Chicago, 2001.
- Shirley MacLaine, Carolina, 2003. After two weeks of rehearsals and pre-production, “Bobo” was out and MacLaine became Grandma Mirabeau. – something of a cliche for Bates.
- Meryl Streep, Doubt, 2007. Directing his script of his 2005 Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play, John Patrick Shanley first asked Frances McDormand to be the dragon nun, Sister Aloysius Beauvier. Next: Bates, Annette Bening, Anjelica Huston, Sigourney Weaver – never the original Brodway star and Tony winner Cherry Jones. Then, her pal Meryl became available… She still asked: Why wasn’t Cherry doing it? “She was so amazing! John explained he hadn’t directed that production. He wanted his own hands on this. So, I thought it was really valid and felt that I sure would like a crack at that Sister Aloysius.” Result: Meryl’s 15th Oscar nomination.
- Margo Martindale, August: Osage Country, 2012. Ill-health leading to a double mastechomy at age 64 meant Kathy (“My family call me Kat because I always land on my feet”) had to pass on joining Juliette Lewis, Ewan McGregor, Julia Roberts, Sam Shepard and Meryl Streep’s 18th Oscar nomination.
- Tracey Ullman, Into The Woods, 2013.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 10