Gena Rowlands, the celebrated actress renowned for her roles in A Woman Under the Influence and The Notebook, has passed away at the age of 94. According to TMZ, Rowlands died on Wednesday, August 14, at her home in Indian Wells, California, surrounded by her family, including her husband Robert and daughter Alexandra. The cause of death has not been disclosed, though confirmation was provided by her son Nick Cassavetes’ agent.
Nick Cassavetes revealed in June 2024 that his mother had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease five years prior. Born in Cambria, Wisconsin, in June 1930, Rowlands began her acting career on Broadway in The Seven Year Itch and transitioned to television series in the 1950s. Her film debut came in The High Cost of Loving (1958), and she achieved significant recognition through her collaboration with her husband, John Cassavetes.
Rowlands earned Academy Award nominations for her performances in A Woman Under the Influence (1974) and Gloria (1980). She also won multiple Emmys for her roles in television films, including An Early Frost (1985) and Hysterical Blindness (2003). Her final film appearance was in Broken English (2007), directed by her daughter Zoe Cassavetes.
In 2015, Rowlands received an honorary Oscar, acknowledging her extensive contributions to cinema. Her marriage to John Cassavetes lasted until his death in 1989. She later married Robert Forrest in 2012. Rowlands is survived by her husband, three children, and five grandchildren.