Gena Rowlands, the renowned American actress celebrated for her powerful portrayals of complex women, has passed away at the age of 94. Rowlands, who was a three-time Emmy winner and an Oscar nominee for her roles in the crime drama “Gloria” and the film “A Woman Under the Influence,” had a prolific career that started in stage and television during the 1950s. Her death was confirmed by her son, Nick Cassavetes, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
Rowlands collaborated with her first husband, director John Cassavetes, in many award-winning films. Cassavetes, known for his pioneering work in independent cinema, was also her muse and partner throughout her career. Nick Cassavetes shared that Rowlands had been battling Alzheimer’s disease, similar to her mother and the character she portrayed in “The Notebook.”
The couple was prominent in the independent film scene during the 1970s and 80s, with Rowlands appearing in ten films directed by Cassavetes before his death in 1989. Her performances often conveyed a deep emotional intensity, characterized by a mix of energy and vulnerability.
One of her standout roles was Mabel Longhetti in “A Woman Under the Influence,” a character that challenged societal norms surrounding mental illness. In “Gloria,” she played a tough protector of a young boy targeted by mobsters. Although she did not win an Oscar for these performances, she was honored with an Honorary Academy Award in 2015.
Born Virginia Cathryn “Gena” Rowlands on June 19, 1930, in Cambria, Wisconsin, she pursued her passion for acting early on. After studying drama at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, she made her Broadway debut in 1956, followed by her first film appearance in “The High Cost of Loving.”
Throughout her career, Rowlands continued to work in both film and television. She garnered acclaim for her roles in projects like Woody Allen’s “Another Woman” and won several Emmy Awards for her performances in “The Betty Ford Story,” “Face of a Stranger,” and “Hysterical Blindness.”
Rowlands experienced a resurgence in popularity with her role in 2004’s “The Notebook,” introducing her talent to a new generation of viewers. She was married to Cassavetes from 1954 until his death and had three children, later marrying businessman Robert Forrest in 2012. Reflecting on her remarkable journey in acting, Rowlands described it as a fulfilling yet challenging path, where she could pursue her passion for storytelling.