| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|
| 1971 | Taking Off | Audition Singer: "Even the Horses Had Wings" | as Bobo Bates |
| 1977 | Doctors, TheThe Doctors | Phyllis | several episodes |
| 1978 | Love Boat, TheThe Love Boat | Sally Allison | Episodes: "Family Reunion", "Too Hot to Handle" and "Cinderella Story" |
| 1978 | Straight Time | Selma Darin | |
| 1982 | Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean | Stella Mae | |
| 1983 | Two of a Kind | Furniture man's wife | |
| 1984 | All My Children | Belle Bodelle | several episodes |
| 1984–85 | One Life to Live | Evelyn Maddox | several episodes |
| 1986 | Johnny Bull | Katherine Kovacs | Television film |
| 1986 | Cagney & Lacey | Brenda Harris | Episode: "Revenge" |
| 1986 | Morning After, TheThe Morning After | Woman on Mateo Street | |
| 1986–87 | St. Elsewhere | Polly | Episodes: "Up and Down" and "Visiting Daze" |
| 1987 | Murder Ordained | Bobbi Birk | Television miniseries |
| 1987 | Summer Heat | Ruth | |
| 1987 | My Best Friend Is a Vampire | Helen Blake | as Kathy D. Bates |
| 1988 | Arthur 2: On the Rocks | Mrs. Canby | |
| 1989 | China Beach | Jan | Episode: "The World: Part 2" |
| 1989 | Signs of Life | Mary Beth Alder | |
| 1989 | High Stakes | Jill | |
| 1989 | Roe vs. Wade | | Television film |
| 1989 | L.A. Law | Charlotte Haley | Episode: "One Rat, One Ranger" |
| 1989 | No Place Like Home | | Television film |
| 1990 | Men Don't Leave | Lisa Coleman | |
| 1990 | Dick Tracy | Mrs. Green | |
| 1990 | White Palace | Rosemary | |
| 1990 | Misery | Annie Wilkes | Academy Award for Best Actress
Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama
Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress |
| 1991 | Shadows and Fog | Prostitute | |
| 1991 | At Play in the Fields of the Lord | Hazel Quarrier | |
| 1991 | Fried Green Tomatoes | Evelyn Couch | Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |
| 1992 | Road to Mecca, TheThe Road to Mecca | Elsa Barlow | |
| 1992 | Prelude to a Kiss | Leah Blier | |
| 1992 | Used People | Bibby Berman | |
| 1993 | Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun | Lunar Mom | Direct-to-video |
| 1993 | Hostages | Peggy Say | Television film |
| 1993 | Home of Our Own, AA Home of Our Own | Frances Lacey | |
1993
2004 | American Experience, TheThe American Experience | Narrator | Episodes:
"Amelia Earhart: The Price of Courage"
"Tupperware!" |
| 1994 | Stand, TheThe Stand | Rae Flowers | Episode: "The Plague"
uncredited |
| 1994 | North | Alaskan mom | Nominated — Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress |
| 1994 | Curse of the Starving Class | Ella Tate | |
| 1995 | Dolores Claiborne | Dolores Claiborne | Nominated — Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress
Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress
Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress |
| 1995 | West Side Waltz, TheThe West Side Waltz | Mr. Goo | Television film |
| 1995 | Angus | Meg Bethune | |
| 1996 | Diabolique | Det. Shirley Vogel | |
| 1996 | War at Home, TheThe War at Home | Maurine Collier | |
| 1996 | Late Shift, TheThe Late Shift | Helen Kushnick | Television film
American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special (Leading or Supporting) Network, Cable or Syndication
Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie
Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie |
| 1997 | Swept from the Sea | Miss Swaffer | |
| 1997 | Titanic | Molly Brown | Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress – Drama
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 1998 | Primary Colors | Libby Holden | American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress – Drama
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress
San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role – Motion Picture
Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Nominated — Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture |
| 1998 | Effects of Magic, TheThe Effects of Magic | Raphaella, the Magic Bunny | voice |
| 1998 | Waterboy, TheThe Waterboy | Helen "Mama" Boucher | Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress – Comedy |
| 1998 | Civil Action, AA Civil Action | Bankruptcy judge | uncredited |
| 1999 | Annie | Miss Agatha Hannigan | Television film
American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special (Leading or Supporting) Network, Cable or Syndication
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
| 1999 | Baby Steps | Mrs. Mellon | short film |
| 1999 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Charlotte Everly | Episode: "Alien Hunter"
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress – Comedy Series |
| 1999 | Dash and Lily | Director | Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special |
| 2000 | Bruno | Mother Superior | |
| 2000 | MADtv | Stuart's Grandma | Season 6 episode 602 |
| 2001 | Rat Race | The Squirrel Lady | uncredited |
| 2001 | American Outlaws | Ma James | |
| 2001 | King of the Hill | Police Officer | Episode: "Lupe's Revenge" |
| 2002 | Love Liza | Mary Ann Bankhead | |
| 2002 | Dragonfly | Mrs. Belmont | |
| 2002 | About Schmidt | Roberta Hertzel | Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress
Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Nominated — Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role |
| 2002 | Unconditional Love | Grace Beasley | |
| 2002 | My Sister's Keeper | Christine Chapman | Television film
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
| 2003 | Six Feet Under | Bettina | 10 episodes
Nominated — Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing - Drama Series (for episode "Twilight")
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress – Drama Series |
| 2004 | Around the World in 80 Days | Queen Victoria | |
| 2004 | Little Black Book | Kippie Kann | |
| 2004 | Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy | Sea Hag | voice |
| 2004 | Ingrate, TheThe Ingrate | The Judge | short film |
| 2004 | The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing | Narrator | documentary |
| 2004 | Bridge of San Luis Rey, TheThe Bridge of San Luis Rey | The Marquesa | |
| 2005 | Hansel and Gretel | Narrator | direct-to-video |
| 2005 | Ambulans Girl | Jane Stern | Television film
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie
Nominated — Prism Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie or Miniseries |
| 2005 | Guilty Hearts | The Judge | |
| 2005 | Rumor Has It... | Aunt Mitsy | uncredited |
| 2005 | Warm Springs | Helena Mahoney | Television film
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie |
| 2006 | Failure to Launch | Sue | |
| 2006 | Have Mercy | | |
| 2006 | Solace | Marrow's wife | |
| 2006 | Relative Strangers | Agnes Menure | |
| 2006 | Bonneville | Margene | |
| 2006 | Charlotte's Web | Bitsy the Cow | voice |
| 2007 | Bee Movie | Janet Benson | voice |
| 2007 | Fred Claus | Mother Claus | |
| 2007 | Golden Compass, TheThe Golden Compass | Hester | voice |
| 2007 | P.S. I Love You | Patricia | |
| 2007 | Christmas Is Here Again | Miss Dowdy | voice |
| 2008 | Family That Preys, TheThe Family That Preys | Charlotte Cartwright | |
| 2008 | Day the Earth Stood Still, TheThe Day the Earth Stood Still | Secretary of Defense, Dr. Regina Jackson | |
| 2008 | Revolutionary Road | Mrs. Helen Givings | Palm Springs International Film Festival Ensemble Performance Award
Nominated — Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast |
| 2009 | Cheri | Madame Charlotte Peloux | |
| 2009 | Alice | Queen of Hearts | Miniseries
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie |
| 2009 | Personal Effects | Gloria | |
| 2009 | Blind Side, TheThe Blind Side | Miss Sue | |
| 2009 | The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club | Narrator | Los Angeles Area Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts & Culture / History Program |
| 2010 | Valentine's Day | Susan Milton | |
| 2010–11 | Office, TheThe Office | Jo Bennett | 8 episodes |
| 2011–12 | Harry's Law | Harriet Korn | Main cast
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (2011-2012) |
| 2011 | Midnight in Paris | Gertrude Stein | |
| 2011 | You May Not Kiss the Bride | Bryan's Mother | |
| 2011 | Little Bit of Heaven, AA Little Bit of Heaven | Beverly Corbett | |
| 2012 | Two and a Half Men | Ghost Charlie | Episode: "Why We Gave Up Women"
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress – Comedy Series |
