CBS will submit nine cast members from Matlock Season 1 for Emmy consideration, Gold Derby has learned.
Kathy Bates is entering the Best Drama Actress category for playing Madeline Kingston, a wealthy woman who’s masquerading as a kind-hearted lawyer named Madeline “Matty” Matlock. Madeline uses her manipulation skills (and an assist from Werther’s Originals) to try to uncover which partner at Jacobson Moore covered up evidence that could have prevented the opioid epidemic that led to her daughter’s death. Bates, an Oscar winner for Misery (1990), has already won two Emmys in her career, for Two and a Half Men (guest actress, 2012) and American Horror Story: Coven (supporting actress, 2014), but this would be her first lead Emmy victory.
Five performers are campaigning in the two featured categories: Sam Anderson as Edwin Kingston, David Del Rio as Billy Martinez, and Jason Ritter as Julian Markston in Best Drama Supporting Actor; and Leah Lewis as Sarah Yang and Skye P. Marshall as Olympia Lawrence in Best Drama Supporting Actress.
Finally, three memorable guest stars from Season 1 will appear on this year’s Emmy ballot: Beau Bridges as Howard “Senior” Markston in Best Drama Guest Actor; and Yael Grobglas as Shae Banfield and Julie Hagerty as Bitsy in Best Drama Guest Actress.
Bates has led her category all season long, per the Gold Derby odds. If she prevails on Emmy night, she will be the oldest person ever to win Best Drama Actress, at age 77. (Damages star Glenn Close currently holds that record, at age 62.) Marshall, fresh off of her Critics Choice nomination, is now in the Top 20 for her Emmy category, while Matlock is in 16th place for Best Drama Series.
Matlock is developed by Jennie Snyder Urman, and loosely inspired by the 1986 legal drama of the same name that was created by Dean Hargrove. “I wanted it to be a love letter to women in the workforce, that you can really have passion about your career, and you don’t have to feel guilty about that,” Urman recently told Gold Derby.
Below is the list of Matlock’s acting submissions for the 2025 Emmys. Note: These entries are being submitted by CBS; additional actors from the series may still choose to submit independently.
Drama Actress: Kathy Bates
Drama Supporting Actor: Sam Anderson, David Del Rio, Jason Ritter
Drama Supporting Actress: Leah Lewis, Skye P. Marshall
Drama Guest Actor: Beau Bridges
Drama Guest Actress: Yael Grobglas, Julie Hagerty
