Kathy Bates' Best Film Roles: Molly Brown, Annie Wilkes Top the List

Whenever people talk about the top actresses in Hollywood, you're going to hear the usual; Jessica Alba, Reese Witherspoon, etc. The one that always comes to my mind, however, is Kathy Bates.

There are two reasons why I like the 39-year-old Bates. One, she doesn't get by on looks. I'm not saying she's unpleasant to look at, but she's also not a size 1; something that tends to land most actresses their parts. She gets her roles because she can actually act; something many of today's actresses can't do.

The other reason I like Bates is she's the ultimate character actress. Regardless of whether she has a lead role or an un-credited bit part, you can tell she puts her heart into it. In fact, some of her minor characters have made major pictures even better.

Here is a list of her top five roles.

Molly Brown; Titanic (1997) - Quite honestly, I think Bates was robbed when she wasn't nominated for a supporting actress Oscar. Her portrayal of the "unsinkable" Molly Brown is a classic. She had the nice southern charm but you could tell she was a rebel too. In fact, she was probably the only character I liked in this movie.

Annie Wilkes; Misery (1990) - Of the thrillers that are currently out on the shelves of our local video store, Misery is one that still gives me the chills. And, Bates' character, Wilkes is the reason for that. You have a lonely woman who seems to be very caring. Yet, because her favorite character in a book is killed off, she gets downright violent in forcing the author to do a re-write. I wonder if this movie is the reason J.K. Rowling didn't kill off Harry Potter in the final book.

Helen Boucher; The Waterboy (1998) - My wife and I still find ourselves quoting her "Little Girls are the Devil" whenever our daughter gets into trouble. Adam Sandler was funny in this movie. Bates was about 10 times better. You really believed she was from the back woods of Louisiana the way she cut the head off of a catfish or served snake for dinner. It's no wonder her son wasn't afraid to play football. She was scarier than anybody he would have met on the field.