Kathy Bates revealed she was “in tears” as she got dressed for the 2024 Emmys, which were held on September 15.
The 76-year-old actress said it was an emotional experience because she was able to go to Giorgio Armani “for the first time in a long time” and find a dress that fit her.
The Matlock star – who also made it clear she’s not ready to quit the industry just yet after suggesting she was ready to retire from her successful, decades-long career after her new CBS series ran its course was – recalled that a friend joined her for the adjustment, in an interview with PEOPLE published on Friday.
While she was trying on dresses during the fitting, she said they were both “in tears because everything I came out in just looked exquisite.”
At the end of the fitting, she opted for a deep, royal purple dress with intricate, sparkling embroidery and beading.
Kathy Bates, 76, revealed she was “in tears” while getting dressed for the 2024 Emmys, which were held on September 15; (L) seen in September at the Emmys, (R) seen in 2015
Bates said, “The red carpet photos were so different from any photo I had ever taken on a red carpet.”
“I just felt so relaxed and ready,” the American Horror Story alum continued.
“I knew I felt great and I looked great,” she recalled. ‘We had a wonderful little skit with Antony [Starr] and Giancarlo [Esposito]. It was a wonderful evening.’
She added: ‘That night was really special.’
During her interview, Bates also revealed that she was inspired to lose weight, but especially get healthy, when she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes around 2017.
“It scared the hell out of me,” Bates admitted.
She said the first change she made was listening to her body, which she said was her niece’s advice.
“When we are full, we experience an involuntary sigh,” she said of what she learned and does now. “I just pushed the sign away.”
The actress said it was an emotional experience because she was able to “go to Giorgio Armani” and find a dress that fit her for the first time “in a long time”; pictured on May 2 in Los Angeles
The Matlock star recalled that a friend joined her for the fitting, in an interview with PEOPLE published Friday. While trying on dresses during fittings, she said they were both “in tears because everything I came out in just looked beautiful”; pictured on September 15 in Los Angeles
Bates said: ‘the red carpet photos were so different from any photo I had ever taken… I just felt so relaxed and ready’; pictured on September 15 in Los Angeles
Finally addressing Ozempic rumors about how she lost pounds, Bates said she lost most of the weight by tuning into her body and training herself to stop eating when she felt full fed up.
Bates also explained that she paid more attention to the food she consumed.
“I used to eat terribly: burgers and cokes and pizza,” she told the outlet, before adding that she also doesn’t eat after 8 p.m.
She said she was able to lose 80 pounds with diet and lifestyle changes, but with Ozempic’s help, she surpassed the 100-pound mark.
“There’s been a lot of talk that I was just able to do this because of Ozempic,” she said, addressing fan speculation for the first time.
“But I have to make it clear to the people there that this was hard work for me, especially during the pandemic. It’s very hard to say you’ve had enough.’
She said she was able to lose 80 pounds with diet and lifestyle changes, but with Ozempic’s help, she surpassed the 100-pound mark; pictured September 2016 in LA
As she continues her hard work, she also explained what she is working on now.
Bates said that since the first season of Matlock ended, she’s been focusing on her next challenge: finding an exercise routine that works for her.
“That’s going to be the next thing I worry about because I won’t be running back and forth on set,” she explained. ‘I have a treadmill here at home and I might try pilates.
She added: ‘People always ask, “Don’t you want a trainer?” No, I really don’t. I don’t want anyone over my shoulder. It’s just really important to me to keep this going. I don’t want to slip.”