When Kathy Bates won her Oscar for Best Actress in 1991 for her chilling portrayal of Annie Wilkes in Misery, the celebration wasn’t what you’d expect. In a recent interview with Ben Mankiewicz on CBS Sunday Morning, Bates opened up about the complicated relationship she had with her mother, revealing that her mother’s reaction to her Oscar win was less than enthusiastic.

“When I won the Oscar for Misery, she [my mother] said, ‘I don’t know what all the excitement [is] about, you didn’t discover the cure for cancer,’” Bates shared, highlighting the emotional distance between them.

Bates also confessed that she believed she had forgotten to thank her mother in her acceptance speech that night. However, when Mankiewicz played the clip of her speech, revealing that she had in fact thanked her mother, Bates was visibly moved, tears welling up as she processed the moment.

“I don’t know why I thought I hadn’t,” Bates said, expressing her relief. She went on to explain that despite their complicated relationship, she wanted her mother to be part of her success, saying, “When she died, I said ‘come into me.’ I wanted her spirit to come into me and enjoy everything I was enjoying because of what she’d given up.”

The interview has resonated with fans, with many taking to social media to share their support and admiration for Bates. Her emotional reaction struck a chord, as people connected with the weight of family expectations and the desire for validation.

One Reddit user wrote, “I wish I could hug Kathy. Kudos to Ben for giving her that moment that she so clearly craved and being so gentle with her.” Another commented, “Her face when she heard it was so moving. It looked like years of angst just wiped away.”

Bates’ vulnerability in sharing her personal struggles with her mother has reminded many of the deep emotional complexities that can exist within family dynamics, even during moments of great success.