Gena Rowlands, acclaimed as one of the greatest actors and a pioneer in independent cinema, has died at 94. Her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes, confirmed her passing on Wednesday. Rowlands, who had Alzheimer’s disease, died at her home in Indian Wells, California.
Working outside the studio system, Rowlands and her husband John Cassavetes created unforgettable portrayals of working-class strivers in films like “A Woman Under the Influence,” “Gloria,” and “Faces.” Over four decades, they collaborated on 10 films, including “Minnie and Moskowitz,” “Opening Night,” and “Love Streams.”
Rowlands earned two Oscar nominations for her roles in “A Woman Under the Influence” (1974) and “Gloria” (1980). She won three Primetime Emmys, one Daytime Emmy, and two Golden Globes. In 2015, she received an honorary Academy Award for her contributions to cinema.
A new generation discovered Rowlands in her son’s hit film “The Notebook,” where she played a woman with memory loss reflecting on a timeless romance. She continued to appear in films and TV shows in her later years, with her last movie role in 2014’s “Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks.”
Rowlands met Cassavetes at the American School of Dramatic Arts, and they married four months later. Cassavetes used his earnings from “Johnny Stacatto” to finance his first film, “Shadows,” which gained critical acclaim for its realism.
Gena Rowlands honed her craft through live television drama and theater tours. Her breakthrough came with Josh Logan’s play “Middle of the Night,” opposite Edward G. Robinson, which led to an MGM contract. However, she stepped back from her career to focus on family.
John Cassavetes died in 1989, and Rowlands returned to acting to cope with her grief. She often attended film festivals to promote her late husband’s work, praising his fearless approach to filmmaking and unique perspective on life.
Born Virginia Cathryn Rowlands in 1930 in Cambria, Wisconsin, she was encouraged by her mother to pursue acting. Her father was a banker and state senator.
Throughout her career, Rowlands balanced her work with family life, taking breaks to care for her children. She and Cassavetes had three children: Nick, Alexandra, and Zoe, all of whom pursued acting careers.
Rowlands’ legacy as an actor and independent film icon continues to inspire new generations of filmmakers and performers.
Rowlands left the University of Wisconsin to pursue acting in New York. She gained experience in 1950s television drama, appearing on major series.
After her MGM contract, she chose roles carefully, appearing in TV shows like “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “Bonanza” when film roles didn’t appeal. She enjoyed co-starring with Bette Davis in the 1979 TV movie “Strangers.”
Her film career included roles in “Lonely Are the Brave,” “A Child Is Waiting,” and “Light of Day.” In later years, Rowlands took on challenging roles, such as a writer confronting emotions in Woody Allen’s “Another Woman” and a mother facing her son’s AIDS in “An Early Frost.”
Rowlands reflected on her characters’ lives beyond the screen. “Sometimes, during sleepless nights, I’ll think about what different characters might be doing now,” she said in 1992.
Film Writer Jake Coyle and the late AP writer Bob Thomas contributed to this report.