Gena Rowlands, a screen legend with a career that spanned nearly seven decades and countless awards, including two Oscar nods and one honorary Academy Award, has passed on.
Her son, director, and actor Nick Cassavetes, confirmed her demise. Nick shared the news during an interview with Entertainment Weekly while reflecting on working together on “The Notebook” for its 20th anniversary.
Rowlands, at 94, perfectly portrayed Allie, the older version of the same character played by Rachel McAdams in the romance film, after McAdams had dementia. Little did Rowlands or her son know she would face the same fate as McAdams.
Gena Rowlands Died Surrounded by Family
Gena Rowlands passed away surrounded by her family, including her husband Robert and daughter Alexandra, at her Indian Welles, California home on Wednesday, August 14. TMZ reported at the time that no cause of death was immediately available.
ALSO READ: Prince Harry’s Chief of Staff Quits After Merely Three Months
However, subsequent reports have revealed that Rowlands passed away due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
Gena Rowlands’ Son Revealed Her Dementia Diagnosis in June
In June 2024, Nick Cassavetes told Entertainment Weekly that the actress was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease five years ago. Neither of them suspected Rowlands would end up with the same illness.
Nick said, “I got my mom to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s. She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”
In a 2004 interview, Gena Rowlands discussed how her mother’s struggle with the disease influenced her decision to portray Allie. “This last one — The Notebook, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks — was particularly hard because I play a character who has Alzheimer’s,” she said.
“I went through that with my mother, and if Nick hadn’t directed the film, I don’t think I would have gone for it — it’s just too hard. It was a tough but wonderful movie,” she added.
What Is Gena Rowlands Famous for?
Gena Rowlands is an actress best known for the films she collaborated on with her husband, director John Cassavetes. Her acting career began in the 1950s with a debut on Broadway in “The Seven Year Itch.”
Then, in 1955, Rowlands started to appear as a guest star on TV shows. Some of her most famous appearances were in “Studio One,” “Laramie,” “Riverboat,” “Bonanza,” “The Virginian,” and “Breaking Point.”
In 1958, she debuted on the big screen in “The High Cost of Loving.” Rowlands was fortunate to have married the man she did because the union led to some of her best-known roles. The two worked together on films such as “A Child Is Waiting,” “Faces,” “Machine Gun McCain,” and “A Woman Under the Influence.”
The pair stood out in Hollywood because they financed many of their films, usually with money earned by acting in more commercial projects. In 2016, during a Variety interview, Rowlands revealed that her favorite film with her late husband was “A Woman Under the Influence.”
She said, “You were dealing with a woman who was a little wacky, to begin with, and she was obsessively in love with her husband. She got into such real trouble with her own psyche that she had a major nervous breakdown.” Rowlands revealed she found the plot touching.
What Does Gena Rowlands’ Husband Do for a Living?
Gena Rowlands was married twice in her lifetime. Her first marriage was to a director named John Cassavetes, with whom she went on to make many great movies. The pair were married from 1954 until he passed away on February 3, 1989, at the age of 59 from complications of cirrhosis. The two met as students at the American Academy at Carnegie Hall.
Rowland admitted in a 2016 interview that she thought John was “really good-looking” while they were both in school. However, she refused to let his looks sway her. “The one thing I never wanted to do was to fall in love or get married or have children,” she said. “I wanted to act.”
ALSO READ: Legendary Voice Actress Rachael Lillis Dies at 55
According to Rowlands, it took the actor-director three years to convince her to be with him. The couple welcomed three children together: Nick, Zoe and Alexandra.
The second man Rowlands married was retired businessman Robert Forrest, and they tied the knot in 2012. Notably, Forrest was one of those present in her final moments.
You Might Also Like:
Starbucks Names Chipotle’s Brian Niccol as Its Next CEO
Mpox Crisis: WHO Takes Action, Declares Global Health Emergency
Brittney Griner Speaks on Why She Teared Up During National Anthem After Winning Gold
The Apple Color That’s Best for You: A Nutritional Breakdown
