Gena Rowlands, the esteemed actress known for her role in “The Notebook,” died at her home in Indian Wells, California, on August 10, 2024. She was 94 years old. Rowlands had been battling Alzheimer’s disease over the last five years, which led to full dementia.
Born in Wisconsin and later moving to New York to pursue a career on Broadway, Rowlands achieved fame with roles in productions such as “The Seven Year Itch” and “Middle of the Night.” She married filmmaker John Cassavetes and starred in many of his films. Her performances garnered her four Emmys, two Golden Globes, and two Oscar nominations. In 2015, she received an honorary Academy Award.
Rowlands’ notable works span multiple decades and genres, including critically acclaimed films like “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Faces.” After retiring from acting in 2015, she lived out her later years quietly away from the public eye. Discussing her mother’s illness, Nick Cassavetes told Entertainment Weekly: “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.”
During her retirement announcement in 2015, Rowlands reflected on her long career by saying: “Working this long? I didn’t even think I’d be living this long.” Rowlands leaves behind a legacy as one of Hollywood’s revered actresses recognized for both talent and longevity. Her passing marks the end of an era but also celebrates a storied career that has deeply influenced generations of filmmakers and audiences alike.
