Gena Rowlands, known for her fearless film performances and collaboration with husband John Cassavetes, died on August 14th at her home in Indian Wells, California. She was 94 years old. Rowlands’ son Nick Cassavetes, a film director, confirmed her passing. Earlier this year, Rowlands had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Over a career that spanned six decades, Rowlands established herself as a versatile actress capable of complex, challenging roles. Her breakout role came in 1974 with A Woman Under the Influence, directed by John Cassavetes. Rowlands played a housewife struggling with mental illness, earning her first Oscar nomination for the raw, emotionally charged performance. Film critic Janet Maslin praised Rowlands’ “physical and emotional elasticity” in navigating her character’s shifting moods.
Rowlands went on to collaborate with Cassavetes in ten films, helping define independent cinema in the 1970s and 1980s. They included Faces (1968) and Opening Night (1977). Her role in Gloria (1980) earned a second Oscar nomination. Beyond avant-garde films, Rowlands found success on Broadway and television. She won three Emmy Awards for roles in TV movies like The Betty Ford Story (1987). Rowlands was also among the first actors to portray the AIDS crisis in the 1985 NBC movie An Early Frost.
Even in her later years, Rowlands continued acting. She appeared in films directed by her son Nick, including 1996’s Unhook the Stars and the beloved 2004 drama The Notebook. Rowlands received an honorary Academy Award in 2015, reflecting on a career that far surpassed her expectations for longevity. She passed away at home in California, survived by three children and grandchildren.
Rowlands leaves a potent legacy as one of independent cinema’s most daring performers. She took risks with complex characters that expanded choices for other female actors. Said Rowlands, “I just looked at the scripts and kept seeing what I’d like to do, and never worried about it.”
