The entertainment industry is full of talented people who never get the opportunities and attention they deserve. Kathryn Kates was one of them. Although she had a long career that spanned the course of five decades, Kathryn never got the chance to start in a movie or TV series. Despite that, however, she still managed to leave a lasting impression on every project she was a part of. Any time Kathryn was on screen, viewers knew that they were going to get an awesome performance from her. As a result, it was always exciting to see what she was going to do next. With her range, it was clear that she could play any kind of character and she was never afraid to try new things. Sadly, though, Kathryn’s journey has come to an end. She passed away on January 22, 2022, at the age of 73. Over the course of her career, Kathryn made more than 70 on-screen appearances, and her legacy will continue to live on through all of the work she left behind. After all, there aren’t too many actors who can say their presence is always felt on a project, even when they don’t have a major role. Keep reading to see our list of Kathryn Kates’ five best roles.
5. Shades of Blue
Shades of Blue may have only lasted for three seasons, but it was a pretty solid show that many felt was canceled too soon. Between 2016 and 2017, Kathryn appeared in a handful of episodes in which she plays a character named Mrs. Saperstein. In the show, her son was a police officer who was killed after getting involved in the wrong things. Although she didn’t spend much time on the show, Kathryn did a great job of bringing her character to life. Her portrayal of a concerned mother definitely hit the nail on the head.
4. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has been on the air for so long at this point that it’s nearly impossible to keep up with all of the people who have appeared on the show. Despite that, longtime fans will probably remember Kathryn’s role as Judge Marlene Simons. She made several appearances on the show between 2017 and 2021. As with all of her other roles, Kathryn approached the character with care and professionalism. I think many people would agree that she would’ve been a great fit to have a more consistent role on the show.
3. The Many Saints of Newark
Released in 2021, The Many Saints of Newark was Kathryn’s final on-screen role before her passing. The film was a prequel to the popular TV series The Sopranos and it followed the life of a young Tony Soprano. Kathryn’s character, Angie DeCarlo, wasn’t the star of the movie by any means, but she still made the most of the part. Although The Many Saints of Newark didn’t perform well at the box office, it was also released on HBO Max where it did good numbers. On top of that, the film received lots of positive reviews and currently has a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
2. Orange Is the New Black
Orange Is the New Black is easily one of Kathryn’s most recognizable roles in recent years. She played Amy Kanter-Bloom, the mother of Piper’s husband, Larry Bloom (Jason Biggs). Like most mothers, Amy had a knack for detecting BS and she always seemed to know exactly what was going on. As a result, she often provided comic relief whenever she was on the screen. Amy was a character that lots of viewers would’ve loved to see more of, but due to the nature of the storyline, there wasn’t much opportunity for Amy to be part of the show. Still, however, Orange Is the New Black will go down in history as one of Kathryn’s most notable credits.
1. Seinfeld
When people think about the best shows from the 1990s, Seinfeld is often one of the first to come to mind. In fact, many would argue that the show is one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. That legacy is something that Kathryn was proud to be a part of. Like countless other actors, Kathryn played a small part in the show, but it also led to some of the most iconic moments of her career. She was in three episodes of the show between 1994 and 1996 in which she played the woman behind the counter at a local bakery. The moments may have been small, but each of her appearances was very memorable.
Follow Us
