Kathy Bates has vowed to keep acting as long as possible even if it means dying on stage while discussing her latest role in the Matlock reboot bat said her work has become her life force and her recent 100 PB weight loss over the last 7 years has reinvigorated her spirit to continue working radaronline.com can reveal with a career spanning more than three decades its no secret baits 76 has long been one of the most hardworking actresses in Hollywood while she was contemplating semi-retirement before landing her latest role she recently revealed she could continue working until her dying breath in a recent interview with variety bate said my friends say I'll probably be like mulier and die in my chair on the stage because it really is a life force for me one major factor contributing to bat's Workhorse mentality is her new lease on life after shedding weight the fried green tomato star said it's helped me tremendously that over the last six or seven years I've lost 100 lb I don't think I've been this slim since I was in college she was at her heaviest while working on NBC's Harry's Law in 2011 her weight not only impacted her stamina but her mental health too Bates recalled I had to sit down every moment that I could it was hard for me to walk I'm ashamed I let myself get so out of shape but now I have a tremendous amount of energy now that she slimmed down retirement is no longer in her near future bat said she hopes to get several years on Matlock under her belt before reconsidering stepping away from Tinsel Town as she reflected on her next chapter Bates attributed not being regarded as a beauty queen as a positive factor in her career while some actresses stepped away from the spotlight as they aged Bates has continued to work and has been offered leading roles in hit shows like American Horror Story she said I always knew going into this business that it was going to take me a while because I wasn't a beauty queen I have to say I give an inner wink when I see friends who have been beauty queens who are no longer working because of agism and in my case I've been able to continue working for many years because I don't look like that I don't think I would have gotten the role in misery if I had been a beauty queen her latest project centers on 70-something lawyer mateline Matty Matlock who often faces agism from colleagues though like Bates in real life she often uses the criticisms to her Advantage Bates reflected on having to dig deep to get into character as Maddie she added there's a lot of my mother in Maddie or let's say there's a lot L of what I imagined my mother could have been if she had had the opportunity to realize her dreams and become a lawyer I think about that frustration of having that kind of dream and having that dream subverted by the time in which she lived have a tip send it to us email radaronline.com tips at radaronline.com