Award-winning actor Gena
Rowlands known for her standout shows in ‘A Woman Under the Influence’, ‘Gloria’,
and ‘The Notebook’, passed away on Wednesday at her home in Indian Wells after
a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's sickness. She was 94.
Rowlands' death was established
by the office of Danny Greenberg, agent to her son Nick Cassavetes at WME. No
further details have been released at this time.
Throughout a six-decade
career, Rowlands earned praise for her work in both film and television,
particularly for her cooperations with her late husband, John Cassavetes, and
their son, Nick. She received Oscar nominations for her iconic characters in
Cassavetes' films ‘A Woman Under the Influence’ (1974) and ‘Gloria’ (1980), and
later appeared in her son’s films ‘Unhook the Stars’ and ‘The Notebook’.
Rowlands was celebrated for
her ability to personify a wide range of characters, from tough women to
glamorous stars, and everything in between. She transitioned simply between the
raw, improvisational style of John Cassavetes' independent films and the more
structured world of television.
In 2015, while accepting an
honorary Oscar, Rowlands returned on her love for acting, saying, “What’s great
about being an actress is you don’t just live one life, you live many lives.”
She continued to battle Alzheimer’s in her later years, with Nick Cassavetes divulging
her diagnosis during the 20th anniversary of ‘The Notebook’ in 2024.
Despite her many praised performances, Rowlands never
reached the status of a Hollywood superstar, nor did she seek out blockbuster
roles. Instead, she remained one of the most admired and admired actors of her time. Director Arthur Allan Seidelman
once described her as “the finest film actress of her generation,” noting her extraordinary
ability to bring truth and insight to every character she portrayed.
Rowlands’ career was deeply entwined
with that of her husband, John Cassavetes, whom she met at the American Academy
of Dramatic Arts in New York in 1951. They married three years later and cooperated
on 10 films together, raising three children along the way. Cassavetes passed
away in 1989, but the couple’s legacy as pioneers of independent cinema remains
powerful. They financed many of their films by repeatedly mortgaging their
Hollywood Hills home, determined to maintain creative freedom outside the
studio system.
Her partnership with
Cassavetes began in 1955 with ‘Time for Love’, where she played a small-town
girl swept off her feet by a traveling salesman. In ‘Won’t It Ever Be Morning?’,
Rowlands portrayed a jazz singer caught in a murder trial. As part of
Cassavetes' close-knit group of actors, she often portrayed complex female
characters, at a time when many women in Hollywood were confined to more
superficial roles.
After Cassavetes’ death,
Rowlands continued her career, collaborating with her son Nick on ‘Unhook the Stars’ (1996), where
she played a woman reclaiming he independence. "It was very emotional and satisfying to have a son who puts a script in
my lap and says, 'Mother, let's make this movie,'" she told ‘The Times’ at
the time.
Born Virginia Cathryn Rowlands
on June 19, 1930, in Madison, Wisconsin, Rowlands was the
daughter of a state
senator and a homemaker. She discovered her love of acting during her
childhood, which was marked by illness and long hours spent reading. She
attended the University of Wisconsin before moving to New York City to study
drama, where she met Cassavetes.
Rowlands made her Broadway debut in 1956 opposite Edward G. Robinson in ‘Middle of the Night’. Her first film role came two years later in José Ferrer's ‘The High Cost of Loving’.
One of Rowlands' most famous roles was Mabel
Longhetti in ‘A Woman Under the Influence’, where she played a housewife
struggling with mental instability. The
role earned her an Oscar nomination and is
regarded as one of the greatest
performances of her career. She also worked with directors outside of her
husband's circle, including Woody Allen
in ‘Another Woman’ and on TV movies like ‘An Early Frost’ and ‘The Betty Ford Story’, both
of which earned her Emmys.
In 2007, Rowlands appeared in ‘Broken
English’, directed by her daughter, Zoe Cassavetes. She remained beloved by
younger audiences for her role in ‘The
Notebook’, which explored love and aging
in a way that resonated with many. “I think it was such a big hit because
it was about the realization that love can last your whole life,” she said in a 2016 interview.
Rowlands is survived by her second husband, Robert Forrest ; her
son, Nick; daughters, Alexandra and Zoe; and several grandchildren. She leaves
behind a legacy of powerful performances, a commitment to artistic integrity, and an indelible mark on
the world of independent cinema.
