Gena Rowlands, star from films including 'The Notebook,' 'Hope Floats,' dies at 94: Reports
Gena Rowlands arrives on the red carpet for the 88th Oscars on Feb. 28, 2016 in Hollywood, California. ( FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Gena Rowlands, best known for her performance in movies such as "The Notebook" and "A Woman Under the Influence," has died, according to multiple reports. She was 94 years old.
Rowlands died Wednesday afternoon at her home in Indian Wells, California, surrounded by family, according to TMZ.
Rowlands diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease
Rowlands was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease about five years ago, according to her son and film director, Nick Cassavetes.
Cassavetes directed his mother in the 2004 film "The Notebook." Rowlands played the older version of Rachel McAdams' character, Allie Calhoun. The older Allie was suffering from dementia.
In June, Cassavetes shared that his mother was suffering from "full dementia."
"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," Cassavetes said at the time. "She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us."
Rowlands' mother, Lady Rowlands, also had Alzheimer's.
Rowlands channeled her mother for ‘The Notebook’
While filming "The Notebook," Rowlands said she channeled her mother to play the older Allie.
"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 — it’s just too hard," Rowlands told O magazine in 2004. "It was a tough but wonderful movie."
Rowlands' life on the big screen
Rowlands made 10 films with her husband, John Cassavetes, which included the 1974 film "A Woman Under the Influence" and "Gloria," in the 1980’s.
She was nominated for an Oscar for both performances. Rowlands has also won four Emmys and her latest film work was in the 2014 comedy "Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks," according to IMDB.
In her later years, Rowlands made several appearances in films and TV, including in "The Skeleton Key" and the detective series "Monk."