Gena Rowlands, the famous actor from “The Notebook” passed away. She was 94.
The actress passed away with her family by her side at her home in Indian Wells, California. The cause of death has not been released but she has been suffering with Alzheimer’s disease.
In one of her best known performances, she played Allie in “The Notebook.” She played the older version of Allie who was also living with Alzheimer’s in the movie. The younger version of Allie was played by Rachel McAdams.
Her son is director Nick Cassavetes, and he directed “The Notebook.”
A few months ago, Entertainment Weekly interviewed Cassavetes about an approaching 20th anniversary of “The Notebook.”
The romance drama is framed through the character of an elderly man named Duke, who reads a romantic tale from his notebook to a fellow nursing home resident, Allie (Gena Rowlands). The narrative he shares details the summer romance of Noah and Allie in the 1940s.
“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,” said Cassavetes, whose grandmother, actress Lady Rowlands, also 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 the end, Cassavetes feels good about the film he and his mother worked on together. He said it “holds up pretty good” 20 years later. “It’s always a shock to hear that as much time has gone by as it has, but it makes sense. I’m just happy that it exists. It seems to have woIrked and I’m very proud of it.”
One of Rowlands’ most iconic earlier performances came in the 1974 film “A Woman Under the Influence,” directed by her husband John Cassavetes. In this film, Rowlands played Mabel Longhetti, a housewife struggling with mental illness. Her portrayal earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and an Academy Award nomination.
Another notable project with her husband was “Gloria” (1980), where Rowlands played a tough ex-gangster’s companion protecting a young boy from the mob. This role showcased her ability to be tough and vulnerable, earning her another Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award.
Rest in Peace.
