Overview
- In a video interview published Saturday by The Hollywood Reporter, Kathy Bates said she read roughly 12 pages of The Waterboy script, found it ridiculous, and tossed it in the trash because she did not know Adam Sandler.
- Bates recalled that her niece pulled the script from the bin and, after noting Sandler’s earlier Chanukah Song, urged her to give it another look which prompted Bates to reconsider and accept the role.
- Bates said she and Sandler “had the most fun” making the 1998 comedy, called him “brilliant” and “a genius,” and played the memorable role of Mama Boucher in the film.
- She used the anecdote to reflect on her later career, saying she nearly passed on the TV series Matlock until she finished the script and that the show, now renewed for a third season, has been a welcome source of work.
- The Hollywood Reporter interview has been widely reprinted by multiple outlets as a human-interest story that illustrates how chance, personal recommendations, and a second read can change casting and careers.