Actress Kathy Bates announced for the first time that she experienced a recent battle with breast cancer and also revealed that she underwent a double mastectomy not long after the diagnosis.

"After much consideration, I underwent a double mastectomy," the Academy Award-winning actress told People. "Luckily, I don't have to undergo radiation or chemo. My family calls me Kat because I always land on my feet and thankfully this is no exception." 

Bates learned of the diagnosis several weeks ago. This is the second battle with cancer for the "Harry's Law" star. Bates shared in March that she had survived ovarian cancer nine years ago.

The "Midnight in Paris" star told Anderson Cooper on his daytime talk show "Anderson" that she was advised to be discreet about the ovarian cancer diagnosis and why.

"I was advised to [do so]," the 63-year-old told Cooper. "I was contracted to go into a movie at that time, 'Little Black Book' with Brittany Murphy, who I miss very much. My doctors at the time, they had to get insurance approval and all of that so I was very quiet about it and had to go back to work right away." 

"Nobody else really knows what you're going through except another cancer patient," she added. "Even though your family's supportive and surrounds you, I just got to the point where I would go to chemo by myself and just really go through it on my own." 

Bates won a Best Actress Oscar and Golden Globe in 1991 for "Misery"  and was one of the lead stars in one of the industry's highest grossing films "Titanic."

She has two nominations at the 2012 Emmy Awards, for her work on "Harry's Law" and "Two and a Half Men."

The Emmy Awards will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and will air on ABC on Sept. 23.

Tags: 2012 Emmys Harrys Law two and a half men Kathy Bates anderson cooper