Hollywood legend dies at age 94
The Notebook star Gena Rowlands has passed await the age of 94 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's.
Her death was confirmed today by representatives for her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes, who told TMZ that Rowlands died on Wednesday afternoon at her home in Indian Wells, California, surrounded by family including her husband Robert and daughter Alexandra Cassavetes.
While no official cause of death has been announced, Rowlands had been suffering from Alzheimer's for five years.
In June, director of The Notebook and Rowland's son Nick Cassavetes was discussing the film's 20th anniversary when he shared details of his mother's diagnosis and how it was reminiscent of her character in the movie.
“I got my mum 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 of Rowlands’ character, who also had dementia.
“She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”
Gena’s mother, fellow actress Lady Rowlands, had also suffered from the same disease.
While The Notebook was Rowlands’ most notable 21st century role, the acting veteran broke into the industry in the 1950s and earned two Academy Award nominations and multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award wins throughout her career.
She was known for her frequent collaborations with actor-director husband John Cassavetes in ten films, including 1974’s A Woman Under the Influence and 1980s Gloria.
Image credits: New Line Cinema/Demmie Todd/Warner Bros/Spring Creek/Kobal/Shutterstock Editorial