As was announced today, a world-famous actress who was twice nominated for an Oscar and is popular with her younger fans for her role in “The Notebook” has died.
Gena Rowlands, who played Allie Hamilton in the film with Ryan Gosling, died surrounded by her family in California after a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s. She was 94 years old.
No official cause of death was given, but Gena’s son said in June that she suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and was living with “complete dementia.”
Her character in The Notebook also suffered from Alzheimer’s. At the film’s 20th anniversary celebration, Gena’s 65-year-old son Nick Cassavetes told Entertainment Weekly: “I got my mom to play the older Allie, and we talked a lot about Alzheimer’s and wanted to deal with it authentically.”
“She’s had Alzheimer’s for five years now. She’s completely demented and it’s so crazy – we’ve seen it, she’s lived it out and now it’s our turn.”
Gena’s late mother, Lady Rowlands, died of the degenerative disease in 1999 at the age of 95. The actress spoke in 2004 about how her own mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s influenced her decision to play Allie in The Notebook, based on Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 novel.
She told O magazine: “I went through that with my mother and if Nick hadn’t directed it, I don’t think I would have dared to do it – it’s just too hard. It was a hard but wonderful film.”
In the numerous tributes following her death, Gena was described as a “unique artist” and many fans emphasized that they would watch “The Same Day” today in her honor.
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