Gena Rowlands, The Notebook Star, Dead at Age 94

Gena Rowlands, recognized for her function in hit romantic drama The Pocket book in addition to her work with filmmaker husband John Cassavetes, died on Wednesday, August 14, on the age of 94, Us Weekly can affirm.

Rowlands died at her dwelling in Indian Wells, California, surrounded by household and pals on the time of her loss of life, Deadline reported. No reason for loss of life has been introduced, however Rowlands had been battling Alzheimer’s illness. TMZ was first to report the information.

Us Weekly has reached out to Rowlands’ representatives.

Rowlands, an honorary Oscar recipient who additionally obtained two Academy Award nods, portrayed an Alzheimer’s-afflicted girl, the dementia-ridden Allie, in 2004’s The Pocket book. The movie was directed by her son, Nick Cassavettes. Her son revealed in June of this yr that his mom —  sarcastically —  was really affected by the illness in actual life.

“I obtained my mother to play older Allie, and we spent numerous time speaking about Alzheimer’s and eager to be genuine with it, and now, for the final 5 years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” he advised Leisure Weekly. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so loopy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”

Talking to O journal in 2004, Rowlands mentioned how her personal mom had occurred to have battled Alzheimer’s, and the way that have had affected her method to taking up the function in The Pocket book.

“This final one — The Pocket book, primarily based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks — was notably exhausting as a result of I play a personality who has Alzheimer’s,” she associated to the outlet on the time. “I went by that with my mom, and if Nick hadn’t directed the movie, I don’t suppose I’d have gone for it — it’s simply too exhausting. It was a tricky however great film.”

Rowlands retired from appearing in 2015; her assortment of accolades contains 4 Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes along with her Oscar nominations. She made 10 movies with former husband Cassavetes, together with 1974’s A Girl Below The Affect, for which she recieved a Finest Actress Oscar nomination, and 1980’s Gloria, which gave her her second Finest Actress Oscar nomination.

She additionally boasted Broadway credit, having made her stage debut in The Seven Yr Itch. Moreover, she appeared on the small display, costarring in TV sequence High Secret, in addition to guest-starring on a wide range of well-liked TV exhibits.