How Kathy Bates Cast ‘Richard Jewell’ Costar Niko Nicotera (Exclusive)

The April 17 finale of Matlock ended with a shock for Madeline “Matty” Matlock (Kathy Bates) and her family when a man claiming to be her grandson Alfie’s (Aaron D. Harris) long-lost dad showed up at their posh home’s front door. Tech-savvy junior sleuth Alfie, whose mother’s death from an opioid overdose was the impetus for Matty’s undercover work in the legal drama’s freshman season, had tracked down his maybe-daddy and invited him over. Matty and her husband Edwin (Sam Anderson) couldn’t believe their eyes. The face at the door was less of a surprise for Bates.

“He‘s played by Niko Nicotera, who was in Richard Jewell with me. I told [Matlock creator Jennie Snyder Urman] ‘You’ve got to use this man,‘” Bates says.

Confirms Urman, “She told me right away she knew who could play him and how wonderful he was. I trust her taste in acting and actors, so all I had to do was say ‘yes.‘ He’s wonderful. I had seen Richard Jewell, and I’m really excited for where we’re going to go.”

Richard Jewell (Claire Folger / Warner Bros. / Everett Collection)

The 2019 film, directed by Clint Eastwood, is based on the true story of a security guard who was wrongly accused of planting a bomb at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, although he actually found the device and saved lives. Bates played his mother, Bobi Jewell, and received an Academy Award nomination for the role. Nicotera portrayed one of Richard’s friends, and he quickly left a big mark on the actress.

“They go to the firing range. We met and I was so knocked out by him,” Bates says. “He’s so wonderful because he’s got this dangerous look about him.”

Nicotera used that dark edge as George “Ratboy” Skogstrom on motorcycle drama Sons of Anarchy, joining in the fourth season as a loyal recruit. It remains to be seen whether Nicotera will lean into his menacing side on Matlock. We only glimpsed him for a second. And it’s not positive he’s Alfie’s dad. (Sure, the kid is a hacking prodigy, but there are plenty of scammers online!) Either way, the last thing the Kingstons need in their lives is any more danger.

Prashant Gupta/©FX/courtesy Everett Collection

Urman says that by the end of the first episode of the second season, a DNA test will confirm if he is Alfie’s dad. “Whether it’s him, whether it’s not, he is now going to be in the mix and in their lives,” Urman reveals. “That’s going to destabilize Matty’s entire home life. This character, who has control over everything, suddenly finds herself out of control. Our show is built around her control. She’s the mastermind. Her home life is also put under pressure and potentially much more chaotic than it’s ever been before. That’s going to be interesting to watch and see how she behaves, and the new areas for drama and comedy that come from that.”

Matlock, Season 2 Premiere, Fall 2025, CBS

— Additional reporting by Kelli Boyle