Gena Rowlands, the acclaimed actress best known for her role as the older version of Allie in the 2004 film “The Notebook,” has passed away at the age of 94.
She died at her home in Indian Wells, California, with the cause of death yet to be disclosed.
Rowlands, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, portrayed a character dealing with dementia in the film, which resonated with her personal experiences.
“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,” Cassavetes said. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”
Throughout her career, she received significant accolades, including a Golden Globe and a four-time Emmy winner, and she was nominated for two Academy Awards for her performances in “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Gloria.”
Her contributions to both film and television have left a lasting legacy in the entertainment industry.
