Gena Rowlands, renowned actress and muse of John Cassavetes, dies

Gena Rowlands, recognized as one of the most exceptional actors in the history of cinema and a pivotal figure in independent film, has passed away at the age of 94.

Her death was confirmed on Wednesday by representatives for her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes. Earlier this year, he revealed that his mother had Alzheimer’s disease. According to TMZ, Rowlands passed away at her home in Indian Wells, California.

Collaborating with her husband, director John Cassavetes, Rowlands delivered unforgettable performances in films such as “A Woman Under the Influence,” “Gloria,” and “Faces,” portraying complex characters who highlighted the struggles of working-class lives.

Over four decades, Rowlands worked on ten films with Cassavetes, including notable titles like “Minnie and Moskowitz” in 1971, “Opening Night” in 1977, and “Love Streams” in 1984.

Her roles in “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Gloria” earned her two Oscar nominations. In the former, she played a wife and mother grappling with the pressures of domestic life. In the latter, she portrayed a woman helping a young boy escape from the mob.

“He had a particular sympathetic interest in women and their problems in society, how they were treated and how they solved and overcame what they needed to,” she once told the AP about her husband’s work.

Rowlands not only earned Oscar nominations but also won three Primetime Emmy Awards, one Daytime Emmy, and two Golden Globes. In 2015, she received an honorary Academy Award for her contributions to Hollywood. “You don’t just live one life,” she said during her acceptance speech. “You live many lives.”

A newer generation discovered Rowlands in her son’s film “The Notebook,” where she played an elderly woman looking back on a timeless romance. Her younger counterpart was portrayed by Rachel McAdams. Rowlands also appeared in Nick Cassavetes’ “Unhook the Stars” in 1996.

In her later years, Rowlands took on various roles in films and television, including appearances in “The Skeleton Key” and the TV series “Monk.” Her final film role was in 2014’s “Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks,” where she played a retiree who establishes a friendship with her gay dance instructor.

One of her most acclaimed performances came in 1974’s “Woman Under the Influence,” where she played a lower middle-class housewife struggling with her own vulnerabilities. In “Gloria,” she was a former showgirl dealing with mob-related issues. Both roles garnered her Oscar nominations for Best Actress.

The couple met at the American School of Dramatic Arts when their careers were just beginning and married shortly after. In 1960, Cassavetes used his earnings from the TV series “Johnny Stacatto” to fund his first film, “Shadows,” praised for its realistic portrayal of New York life on a modest $40,000 budget.

Gena Rowlands, affectionately pronounced Jenna, became an experienced actress through live television dramas and stage tours, including “The Seven Year Itch” and “Time for Ginger.”

Her big break came when she starred opposite Edward G. Robinson in Paddy Chayefsky’s play “Middle of the Night,” earning rave reviews and a contract with MGM for two films a year.

Her debut film, a comedy titled “The High Cost of Loving,” earned her comparisons to 1930s star Carole Lombard. However, she asked to be released from her contract when she became pregnant. Throughout her career, she would often take breaks from acting to focus on her family.

Rowlands and Cassavetes had three children, Nick, Alexandra, and Zoe, who also ventured into acting. Following John Cassavetes’ death in 1989 from cirrhosis of the liver, Rowlands returned to acting as a way to cope with her grief. She frequently attended film festivals and screenings of Cassavetes’ films.

“I want everyone to see his films,” she stated at the San Sebastian Festival in 1992. “John was unique, the most fearless person I’ve known. He had a distinct perspective on life and individuality.”

Born in 1930 in Cambria, Wisconsin, Virginia Cathryn Rowlands grew up with a love for books and make-believe. Encouraged by her mother, she quit the University of Wisconsin in her junior year to pursue acting in New York.

She gained valuable experience in television dramas in the 1950s and, after leaving her MGM contract, chose her roles carefully. When not working in film, she appeared in TV series like “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “Bonanza,” “Dr. Kildare,” and “The Virginian.” One of her career highlights was co-starring with Bette Davis in the 1979 TV movie “Strangers.”

Rowlands also starred in films such as “Lonely Are the Brave” with Kirk Douglas, “The Spiral Road” with Rock Hudson, and “A Child Is Waiting” with Burt Lancaster and Judy Garland, directed by Cassavetes. Her other notable films include “Two Minute Warning” with Charlton Heston and “Light of Day.”

Even in her later years, Rowlands continued to take on challenging roles. In Woody Allen’s “Another Woman,” she played a writer forced to confront her emotions. In the groundbreaking TV movie “An Early Frost,” she portrayed a mother dealing with her son’s AIDS diagnosis.

Rowlands once reflected on her roles, saying, “Sometimes, during those sleepless nights, I think about what different characters might be doing now.”

She leaves behind a legacy of powerful performances and a lasting impact on both Hollywood and independent cinema.

Source: New York Times, TMZ