Gena Rowlands, an iconic figure in film and television, passed away at 94. The celebrated actress, renowned for her groundbreaking roles alongside her husband, actor and director John Cassavetes, and her poignant performance in The Notebook, died at her California home, TMZ reports.
A Life of Acting Excellence
Rowlands’s son, Nick Cassavetes, who directed her in The Notebook, revealed in June 2024 that Rowlands had been battling Alzheimer’s disease. “She’s in full dementia,” he shared with Entertainment Weekly. “And it’s so crazy—we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”
Career Highlights
Rowlands’s illustrious career began with a passion for acting that was evident from a young age. “I began to realize that you didn’t have to just live one life, you could be a lot of people and do a lot of things,” she reflected in a 2015 interview for the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences series Academy Originals.
Her career was marked by intense, emotionally charged performances, particularly in the films created by John Cassavetes. Rowlands’s portrayal of complex women on the fringes of society set her apart:
- Faces: A raw depiction of a prostitute devoid of the typical Hollywood glamor.
- A Woman Under the Influence: A harrowing portrayal of a wife and mother who unravels under the pressures of her life.
- Gloria: A gangster’s moll who reluctantly protects a young boy from the Mob, earning her two Oscar nominations.
Rowlands’s talent extended beyond the silver screen. She won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her role in the 1987 TV movie The Betty Ford Story and another Emmy for Face of a Stranger in 1991.
Legacy and Influence
Rowlands was widely praised for her authentic and powerful performances. At the 2015 Governor’s Award ceremony, Cate Blanchett lauded her for bringing an unparalleled intensity to her roles. “The intense authenticity and the immediacy of her acting seems to me to be the closest that anyone has ever come to capturing on film that…presence of a live stage performance,” Blanchett said.
Playwright Tennessee Williams compared her to “a work of art you place yourself in front of,” highlighting her unique presence and artistry. Rowlands admired Bette Davis, whose independence and strong characters inspired her own approach to acting. “Women were expected to be sweet and obedient, and that just wasn’t what I was interested in,” Rowlands noted.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Virginia Cathryn Rowlands was born on June 19, 1930, in Cambria, Wisconsin. She was the daughter of Edwin Myrwyn Rowlands, a politician and later an agricultural administrator, and Mary Allen Neal, who acted under the name Lady Rowlands. Rowlands left the University of Wisconsin to pursue her acting career in New York, a move supported by her family despite their strict upbringing.
She studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she met John Cassavetes. Upon meeting her, Cassavetes famously declared, “That’s the girl I’m going to marry.”
Gena Rowlands’s legacy as a transformative actress and a pioneering force in cinema will be remembered and celebrated by fans and colleagues alike. Her contributions to film and television, along with her remarkable performances, have left an indelible mark on the industry,