Just because she’s got an Oscar, some Emmys, and some Golden Globes doesn’t mean Kathy Bates can master an Irish accent. 

The 72-year-old versatile star Kathy Bates, who’s been in a host of films – her Best Actress Academy Award came in 1991 for Misery – confessed to Irish host Ryan Tubridy on his Late Late Show last Friday that she’s doing plenty of practicing for her upcoming role in the Irish film The Miracle Club. She even tried out her 1970s Dublin accent on the broadcast and, well…she’s getting there, but it’ll take a while.

“I've been watching movies like The Commitments and a few of them that they've sent to me to get an idea. So, it's like, 'Oh Lord, I've really got a long way to go!'

"But, I'm very excited about it. I thought I would come early -- a couple of weeks early -- to really hang out in the pubs and get marinated in it."

The Miracle Club, she says, will be directed by Thaddeus O’Sullivan and also stars Maggie Smith and Laura Linney.  The plan is to start shooting the film about a group of Dublin women who head to Lourdes for a pilgrimage in October.

"We're very excited -- the only catch is we have to learn working-class Dublin circa 1970s accents. So, that's going to be quite difficult. I suspect there's going to be plenty of Irish actresses with their knives out, waiting for us to make a misstep!"

Kathy Boyle, aka Kathleen Doyle Bates

Bates – full name Kathleen Doyle Bates – also spoke to Tubridy about her substantial Irish roots. 

"On my father's side, my grandmother was named Madge Doyle before she married my grandfather. My middle name is Doyle and my great-great-grandfather came from Ireland. He was a doctor. He came in the 1830s through New Orleans. And so, my middle name is Doyle, and I really feel I'm talking to the land of my people now,” she said.

Kathy’s great-great granddad was President Andrew Jackson’s doctor.

Here's a short snippet from their interview: