Gena Rowlands, the veteran actress who played the older version of Rachel McAdams’ character in 2004’s The Notebook, has passed away. Rowlands was 94.
Rowlands’ death was confirmed to Variety by a representative of her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes, who directed her in The Notebook.
Cassavetes recently opened up about how his mother suffered from Alzheimer’s after her character from The Notebook, Allie, had the disease.
“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,” Cassavetes told Entertainment Weekly. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”
Rowlands, alongside her husband John Cassavetes, operated independently from the studio system and crafted unforgettable portrayals of working-class people in films like A Woman Under the Influence, Gloria, and Faces.
Rowlands collaborated with Cassavetes on ten films over four decades. These include notable works such as Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), Opening Night (1977), and Love Streams (1984).
She received two Oscar nominations for her collaborations with her husband. In 1974’s A Woman Under the Influence, she portrayed a wife and mother struggling under the weight of domestic expectations. Meanwhile, in 1980’s Gloria, she played a woman who aided a young boy in his escape from the mob.
Rowlands also received three Primetime Emmy Awards, one Daytime Emmy, and two Golden Globes. She also earned an honorary Academy Award in 2015 for her contributions to Hollywood.
A New Generation Discovers Gena Rowlands Through ‘The Notebook’
Rowlands captivated a new generation in her son’s blockbuster film The Notebook. She portrayed a woman grappling with memory loss as she reflected on a timeless romance. Rachel McAdams played her younger self. Additionally, Rowlands appeared in Nick Cassavetes’ Unhook the Stars in 1996.
In her later years, Rowlands graced both films and television with several memorable appearances. These include The Skeleton Key and the detective series Monk. Her final film role came in 2014, where she portrayed a retiree who forms a friendship with her gay dance instructor in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks.
Alongside Nick, a director also known for Alpha Dog and My Sister’s Keeper, she and Cassavetes welcomed two daughters, Alexandra and Zoe. Both of whom chose to follow in their parents’ footsteps and pursue acting careers.