Acclaimed actor Gena Rowlands, a four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner, has died. She was 94 years old. Renowned for her roles in nearly a dozen films directed by her husband, actor-director John Cassavetes, and her memorable performance in her son Nick Cassavetes’ film “The Notebook.”
Rowlands’ death was confirmed by TMZ, which also reported her family was with her until the end. In addition to Nick, Rowlands leaves behind two daughters, Alexandra and Zoe, who all went on to become actor-directors. Nick shared in June that Rowlands, like her character in Allie in The Notebook, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
While Rowlands is perhaps best recognized by modern audiences for portraying the elder version of Rachel McAdams’ character in “The Notebook,” her acting career began way back in the 1950s. After leaving the University of Wisconsin to chase her Hollywood dreams, Rowlands initially performed in plays and dabbled in television work. “I think that I was lucky to have that period of time because everything was so exciting and new,” she once shared with Interview Magazine. “I went to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, which was in Carnegie Hall, which itself was exciting.” However, it was her partnership with John that truly established her as a force in the field.
Rowlands was a true Hollywood icon
Gena Rowlands once revealed that acting felt like her only viable career path. Her admiration for Bette Davis sparked an interest, but it was the opportunity to step into various personas that truly drew her to the stage and screen. “I think one of the most wonderful things about acting is that you get to live so many lives,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “I never wanted to be anything but an actress.”
Her career reached new heights as the muse and frequent collaborator of her husband John Cassavetes, starring in ten of his films including “Opening Night,” “Love Streams,” “A Woman Under the Influence,” and “Gloria,” with the latter two nabbing Rowlands nominations for Best Actress at the Oscars. But what’s particularly interesting in their work is unlike many of their contemporaries, they often self-financed their projects, steering clear of the typical studio system. “It’s not like we were against studio films,” she shared with Now Toronto. “We just thought there was plenty of space for any kind of film in the world … We did what we wanted to. And it was almost more pleasure than a human being deserved.”
Rowlands’ last acting credits included movies that failed to achieve mainstream success, like the comedy-drama “Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks” and ensemble film “Parts per Billion,” but Rowlands was never one to chase accolades. “I just like to do something that I’m interested in,” she said in an interview with Moviehole. “I don’t want to spend any number of days doing something that I don’t like.”
