Actress Kathy Bates used her Best Actress in a Drama Series win at the Critics Choice Awards to shine a spotlight on the recent Los Angeles wildfires and support her “Matlock” executive producer, Eric Christian Olsen.
During her acceptance speech, Bates revealed that Olsen and his family lost their Palisades home in the devastating fires. She emotionally praised the firefighters who battled the massive blaze, saying, “To watch all of you guys standing in line with just a wall of flames in front of you is just terrifying.”
Olsen, his wife Sarah Wright Olsen, and their three children had lived in the Palisades home for 13 years before its destruction. Sarah later shared their grief on Instagram, describing the difficult goodbye to their longtime community.
Bates pledged to give her award to Olsen, intending it to help with rebuilding efforts. “Our producer had a house in Palisades, and it burned down. So it’s very personal to us,” she told the audience.
Beyond the emotional moment, Bates also discussed her challenging role in the CBS drama “Matlock,” which has been renewed for a second season. She explained the complexity of portraying Matty, a character struggling with guilt over losing a daughter.
“I had to dig deep and read many books about the opioid epidemic,” Bates said. “Even though it’s not in every episode, it’s an engine that drives my character.”
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The win represents a significant achievement for CBS, with Bates noting her discussions with network president Amy Reisenbach about proving “broadcast TV is not dead.”
Through her powerful speech, Bates transformed a personal award into a moment of community support and recognition for those affected by the recent wildfires.
