‘The Notebook’ star Gena Rowlands, 94, has Alzheimer’s: ‘She’s in full dementia,’ son Nick Cassavetes says
“The Notebook” star Gena Rowlands, 94, has Alzheimer’s disease.
Her son Nick Cassavetes, who directed the beloved 2004 rom-com, revealed his mom’s diagnosis to Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday.
Rowlands’ character in the film had dementia. She played the older version of Rachel McAdams’ Allie.
“I got my mom to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” said Cassavetes, 65.
“She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it and now it’s on us,” he added.
Rowlands’ mother and Cassavetes’ grandmother, actress Lady Rowlands, also had Alzheimer’s.
Rowlands starred in “The Notebook” with McAdams, Ryan Gosling, James Garner, James Marsden and Kevin Connolly. The movie is based on Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 novel.
The year the film came out, Rowlands opened up to O magazine about the experience of playing a character with Alzheimer’s after her mother faced the same disease.
“This last one — ‘The Notebook’ — was particularly hard because I play a character who has Alzheimer’s. I went through that with my mother, and if Nick hadn’t directed the film, I don’t think I would have gone for it.”
“t’s just too hard,” Rowlands added. “It was a tough but wonderful movie.”
Rowlands is an accomplished actor with several Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.
Earlier in her career, she often collaborated with her director-husband John Cassavetes, who died in 1989. Their films included “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Gloria,” both of which earned Rowlands Oscar nominations.
At the 2015 Oscars, Rowlands earned an honorary Academy Award. That same year, her son presented her with the Academy Honorary Award at the seventh annual Governors Awards.
“I didn’t think for a minute I was going to get it,” she said about getting her honorary Oscar in an interview with the LA Times. “I think it’s awfully nice.”
She also looked back on “The Notebook” and said she loved the “whole idea of love lasting forever.”
“The kids — Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling — were such good actors. I was happy to work with Jim Garner,” Rowlands said. She added, “Everyone said it must be hard to work for your son. I guess when you feel loved, everything is easy.”
The actress’ latest film was the 2014 comedy-drama “Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks.” Her last television role was in an episode of “NCIS” in 2010.
Rowlands and her late husband had three children together. Her daughters Alexandra and Zoe are directors, just like their brother.
She got remarried to retired businessman Robert Forrest in 2012. They are still together.
