Our brains can play tricks with our memories—even memories of monumental moments in our lives. Actor Kathy Bates lived for decades of her life thinking she hadn't thanked her mother in her acceptance speech for her role in Misery, the Stephen King adaptation that launched her to stardom.
In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, however, she learned that she had been misremembering the whole time.
The journalist, Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz, contradicted Bates when she said she felt guilty for not thanking her mom, insisting that she did. Bates countered that no, she was right, and that he should watch the clip to see.
They did watch the clip of her Academy Award acceptance speech, together. In it, she clearly thanks her family, and specifically thanks her mother.
In that moment, Bates' entire demeanor, which was honest but still conscious of being interviewed, lost all composure and she clutched her hands to her mouth. When asked what she was thinking, she said she felt such relief.
When Mankiewicz asked why that meant so much, Bates replied:
"'Cause she should have had my life...I wanted her spirit to come into me and enjoy everything I was enjoying because of what she'd given up."
People were moved by her honest reaction.
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People commented on how this highlights the complexities of mothers and daughters.
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Folks appreciated the work Mankiewicz had done.
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And, as any video of her merits, folks were loving Kathy Bates.
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It led people to get philosophical about their own relationship with memory.
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Bates is currently starring in Matlock, a reboot of the detective show.
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