Gena Rowlands, Oscar-nominated ‘A Woman Under the Influence’ and ‘The Notebook’ actress, dies at 94

Gena Rowlands, the award-winning actress recognized for her acclaimed roles in “A Lady Underneath the Affect,” “Gloria,” and “The Pocket book,” has died at 94.

Rowlands’ son, movie director Nick Cassavetes, revealed in June 2024 that his mom had been residing with Alzheimer’s illness for 5 years.

Her demise was confirmed by The Related Press.

A four-time Emmy winner and two-time Golden Globe winner, in addition to the recipient of an Honorary Academy Award, Rowlands’ profession in theater, movie and tv spanned almost seven many years. She was maybe finest recognized for her movie collaborations together with her husband, the late actor and director John Cassavetes, and was twice nominated for an Academy Award for her starring roles in his movies “A Lady Underneath the Affect” and “Gloria.”

Born in Cambria, Wisconsin, on June 19, 1930, Virginia Cathryn Rowlands studied drama in New York Metropolis and started her profession with repertory theater corporations. She made her Broadway debut in “The Seven 12 months Itch” in 1953 and toured with the manufacturing. She additionally starred reverse Edward G. Robinson in Oscar-winning “Community” screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky’s stage adaptation of his movie “Center of the Evening.”

Rowlands met John Cassavetes once they have been each college students on the American Academy for Dramatic Arts they usually have been married in 1954, only some months after they met. She spent the subsequent six years working steadily in tv, together with reverse Cassavetes within the detective collection “Johnny Staccato,” during which he starred, in addition to showing in hit collection together with “Bonanza,” “The Virginian,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “77 Sundown Strip,” and “Peyton Place.”

Gena Rowlands made her movie debut in 1958 in “The Excessive Value of Dwelling.” 5 years and 5 movies later, she starred in her first film directed by John Cassavetes: 1963’s “A Little one Is Ready,” reverse Judy Garland and Burt Lancaster. The couple continued their collaboration with 9 subsequent movies over the subsequent ten years, together with the Oscar-nominated, influential 1968 drama “Faces.”

Considered one of Rowlands’ most acclaimed roles was within the 1974 drama “A Lady Underneath the Affect,” which Cassavetes each wrote and directed as a showcase for her, and mortgaged their residence to finance it when no studio would contact it. The movie, concerning the psychological and emotional unraveling of a middle-aged, blue-collar housewife, earned Rowlands a finest actress Golden Globe win and Academy Award nomination. She obtained a second finest actress Oscar nod for her 1980 title position within the crime thriller “Gloria,” additionally written and directed by Cassavetes, taking part in a girl who goes on the run with the younger son of a mob bookkeeper to guard him, and an incriminating ledger of mob accounts.

The final movie Rowlands and Cassavetes made collectively was the critically-acclaimed however little-seen 1984 drama “Love Streams,” during which Cassavetes additionally co-starred. It was additionally his penultimate movie earlier than he died of alcoholism-related sickness in 1989.

Outdoors of her work with Cassavetes, Rowlands received reward for her position in Woody Allen’s 1988 drama “One other Lady,” and for taking part in former first girl Betty Ford within the 1987 TV film “The Betty Ford Story,” the latter of which received Rowlands a Golden Globe and Emmy award.

Rowlands labored steadily in each movie and tv all through the Nineties and 2000s, together with roles within the Sandra Bullock romantic drama “Hope Floats,” and the 1998 all-star comedy-drama “Enjoying by Coronary heart,” reverse Sean Connery. She additionally appeared on tv within the groundbreaking 1985 TV film drama “An Early Frost,” one of many first movies to confront the stigma hooked up to AIDS, and received an Emmy for her position within the 2002 TV film drama “Hysterical Blindness,” reverse Uma Thurman.

Arguably Rowland’s best-known, and most beloved, later big-screen position was within the 2004 romantic drama “The Pocket book,” directed by her son, Nick Cassavetes. Rowlands portrayed the aged model of the character performed by Rachel McAdams, reverse James Garner’s position as her husband, performed as a youthful man by Ryan Gosling. Via opinions have been blended, the movie was a field workplace smash, incomes over $118 million globally, greater than 4 instances its manufacturing price range, and introducing Rowlands to a brand new, far youthful technology of followers.

Nick Cassavetes directed his mom in three different movies – “Unhook the Stars,” “She’s So Beautiful” and “Yellow” – whereas Rowlands’ daughter, Zoe, directed her in 2007’s “Damaged English.” Later in her profession, Rowlands additionally made visitor appearances in hit TV exhibits together with “Numb3rs,” “Monk” and “NCIS.”

Rowlands’ final credited appearing position was within the 2014 comedy-drama “Six Dance Classes in Six Weeks,” one 12 months earlier than she was introduced with an Honorary Academy Award in recognition of her lengthy profession in movie.

“You realize what’s great about being an actress,” Rowlands stated in her Academy Award acceptance speech, “is that you do not simply dwell one life – yours – you reside many lives.”

Along with her Academy Award, Rowlands was nominated twice for an Oscar, for “A Lady Underneath the Affect” and “Gloria.” She additionally was nominated for eight Golden Globe Awards, successful two, and received three Primetime Emmy Awards out of eight nominations, in addition to a Daytime Emmy and lots of different critics’ awards.

Rowlands was married as soon as, to John Cassavetes. She is survived by their three kids: director Nick Cassavetes, and daughters Alexandra and Zoe, each of whom are actor/administrators.

ABC Information’ Christopher Watson contributed to this report.