Gena Rowlands, known for her role as the older version of Allie in “The Notebook,” has been battling Alzheimer’s, her son revealed to Entertainment Weekly (EW) Tuesday.
Rowlands’ acting career has spanned roughly seven decades, according to EW. She’s worked alongside her son, actor, and director Nick Cassavetes in numerous works, including “The Notebook.” Rowlands played the older version of Rachel McAdams’ character, Allie, who also suffered from dementia, EW noted
“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 told EW. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”
Rowlands’s mother, Lady Rowlands, also battled the disease, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Chris Hemsworth Reveals He’s At High Risk For Alzheimer’s Disease).
Gena Rowlands, who played the older version of Allie in ‘The Notebook’, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, her son reveals. pic.twitter.com/w4GzeU8Sqm
— Pop Base (@PopBase) June 25, 2024
The now 94-year-old opened up about her mother’s illness and its impact on her decision to take on the role of Allie in an interview with O Magazine back in 2004.
“This last one — The Notebook, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks — was particularly hard because I play a character who has Alzheimer’s,” she told O Magazine. “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. It was a tough but wonderful movie.”
The “A Woman Under The Influence” and “Gloria” actress has received numerous awards throughout her acting career, including one honorary Academy Award and two Oscars, EW reported.
