Kathy Bates “didn’t wanna go through” reconstructive surgery after a double mastectomy because she “enjoyed not having breasts”.
Kathy Bates didn’t want to undergo breast reconstruction surgery
The 76-year-old actress was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 aged 64 and decided for a number of reasons that having a procedure to restore her bosom wouldn’t have been right for her.
Appearing on the ‘MeSsy’ podcast, she told hosts Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler: “This is really weird, maybe — but I had really heavy breasts.
“They were, like, 10 pounds when they removed them, and I kind of enjoy not having breasts.”
The ‘American Horror Story’ star’s main reason for not wanted the surgery was because of her age and not being “in a relationship” at the time.
She explained: “At the age I was, I thought, ‘You know, I really don’t wanna go through that’.
“I just didn’t wanna go through it. I wasn’t in a relationship, I was older, and I didn’t think that I would be in a relationship.
“So I was kind of like, ‘Why do I have to?’ ”
Kathy – who was also diagnosed with ovarian cancer nine years before her breast cancer battle – pointed out that she can still change her figure when necessary for a role, such as in her ‘Matlock’ reboot where she sports a camisole-esque garment.
She said: “They put little false-y cups in it, and they’re so comfortable, and they give me a nice shape. And that’s it.”
Back in 2018, Kathy opened up on her decision to avoid resonstructive surgery, insisting it would’ve involved her taking too much time away from her acting career, which she described as her “life force”.
She added to People at the time: “I’m having too much fun.”
However, she still wanted to use her experience and position to urge women to stay healthy and keep on top of things with regular check-ups.
She advised: “Quit taking the damn selfies and worrying about what you look like. Instead, keep everything working and in good order.”