Film industry mourns: Gena Rowlands, iconic actress, passes away at 94
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The entertainment world has lost one of its brightest stars with the passing of Gena Rowlands.
A tour de force of acting, Rowlands brought depth, strength, and complexity to her portrayals of multifaceted women.
At the venerable age of 94, Entertainment Weekly reported Rowlands' death, with her son, Nick Cassavetes, confirming the sad news.
Gena Rowland’s journey began in the 1950s when she graced the stage and television before making an indelible mark on the silver screen.
She was a three-time Emmy winner and a dual Oscar nominee, celebrated for her captivating performances in various roles that often broke the mould of traditional female characters.
Her collaborations with her first husband, the actor, writer, and director John Cassavetes, were particularly noteworthy.
Together, they created a series of groundbreaking films that challenged conventional storytelling and acting methods.
Rowlands starred in ten films directed by Cassavetes, including the psychological drama Opening Night, the intense marital saga Faces, and Love Streams, where she played opposite Cassavetes as his sister.
‘There was always a manic energy to the performances she gave in her late husband’s films, a fear of failure, a desire to love,’ the awards website Golden Derby wrote.
Rowlands' work with her husband was characterised by a raw, kinetic energy that resonated with audiences and critics alike.
Her portrayal of Mabel Longhetti in A Woman Under The Influence, a housewife grappling with mental illness, is often cited as one of her most powerful performances.
In Gloria, she embodies a tough, determined woman who becomes the unlikely protector of a young boy targeted by mobsters.
This unique approach to acting earned her widespread acclaim, with critic Matthew Eng praising her ability to 'wrestle with moments' to reveal profound layers of truth.
‘Rowlands’ sublime acting is almost unprecedentedly id-driven: her beleaguered heroines operate from such deep reserves of need that can only be accessed by Rowlands, who doesn’t just claim moments but wrestles with them to extract even tougher layers of authenticity,’ he said.
While the Oscars eluded her during her active career, the Academy recognised Rowlands' contributions to cinema with an Honorary Academy Award in 2015.
Born Virginia Cathryn 'Gena' Rowlands on 19 June 1930 in Cambria, Wisconsin, she was the daughter of a banker and politician father and an actress mother.
Her passion for acting led her to New York, where she studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and met Cassavetes.
‘I always wanted to be an actress; I read so much when I was little, and it revealed to me there were other things to be. You can live a lot of lives and have a lot of fun and see a lot of things,’ Rowlands shared.
Her career spanned regional theatre, television, and film, including her Broadway debut in Middle Of The Night and her first film role in The High Cost Of Loving.
Rowlands' later work included memorable roles in Woody Allen's Another Woman and continued success on television, where she won Emmys for The Betty Ford Story and Face Of A Stranger and a supporting trophy for Hysterical Blindness.
To a new generation of filmgoers, she became known for her role in the 2004 romantic drama The Notebook, playing the older version of Rachel McAdams' character.
Rowlands' personal life was as rich as her professional one.
She married Cassavetes from 1954 until he died in 1989, and the couple had three.
‘It’s a tricky life, but it was so exciting and wonderful because you were doing what you really wanted to do,’ Rowlands commented about creating independent films.
Credit: TODAY / YouTube
In June, her son, Nick Cassavetes, disclosed that Rowlands was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, similar to both her mother and the character she played in the 2004 film The Notebook.
‘She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us,’ her son said.
Her spirit and work will continue to resonate for generations to come.
Rest in peace, Gena Rowlands.
A tour de force of acting, Rowlands brought depth, strength, and complexity to her portrayals of multifaceted women.
At the venerable age of 94, Entertainment Weekly reported Rowlands' death, with her son, Nick Cassavetes, confirming the sad news.
Gena Rowland’s journey began in the 1950s when she graced the stage and television before making an indelible mark on the silver screen.
She was a three-time Emmy winner and a dual Oscar nominee, celebrated for her captivating performances in various roles that often broke the mould of traditional female characters.
Her collaborations with her first husband, the actor, writer, and director John Cassavetes, were particularly noteworthy.
Gena Rowlands, acclaimed actress, has died at 94, leaving behind a lasting cinematic legacy. Credit: Shutterstock
Together, they created a series of groundbreaking films that challenged conventional storytelling and acting methods.
Rowlands starred in ten films directed by Cassavetes, including the psychological drama Opening Night, the intense marital saga Faces, and Love Streams, where she played opposite Cassavetes as his sister.
‘There was always a manic energy to the performances she gave in her late husband’s films, a fear of failure, a desire to love,’ the awards website Golden Derby wrote.
Rowlands' work with her husband was characterised by a raw, kinetic energy that resonated with audiences and critics alike.
Her portrayal of Mabel Longhetti in A Woman Under The Influence, a housewife grappling with mental illness, is often cited as one of her most powerful performances.
In Gloria, she embodies a tough, determined woman who becomes the unlikely protector of a young boy targeted by mobsters.
This unique approach to acting earned her widespread acclaim, with critic Matthew Eng praising her ability to 'wrestle with moments' to reveal profound layers of truth.
‘Rowlands’ sublime acting is almost unprecedentedly id-driven: her beleaguered heroines operate from such deep reserves of need that can only be accessed by Rowlands, who doesn’t just claim moments but wrestles with them to extract even tougher layers of authenticity,’ he said.
While the Oscars eluded her during her active career, the Academy recognised Rowlands' contributions to cinema with an Honorary Academy Award in 2015.
Born Virginia Cathryn 'Gena' Rowlands on 19 June 1930 in Cambria, Wisconsin, she was the daughter of a banker and politician father and an actress mother.
Her passion for acting led her to New York, where she studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and met Cassavetes.
‘I always wanted to be an actress; I read so much when I was little, and it revealed to me there were other things to be. You can live a lot of lives and have a lot of fun and see a lot of things,’ Rowlands shared.
Her career spanned regional theatre, television, and film, including her Broadway debut in Middle Of The Night and her first film role in The High Cost Of Loving.
Rowlands' later work included memorable roles in Woody Allen's Another Woman and continued success on television, where she won Emmys for The Betty Ford Story and Face Of A Stranger and a supporting trophy for Hysterical Blindness.
To a new generation of filmgoers, she became known for her role in the 2004 romantic drama The Notebook, playing the older version of Rachel McAdams' character.
Rowlands' personal life was as rich as her professional one.
She married Cassavetes from 1954 until he died in 1989, and the couple had three.
‘It’s a tricky life, but it was so exciting and wonderful because you were doing what you really wanted to do,’ Rowlands commented about creating independent films.
Credit: TODAY / YouTube
In June, her son, Nick Cassavetes, disclosed that Rowlands was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, similar to both her mother and the character she played in the 2004 film The Notebook.
‘She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us,’ her son said.
Her spirit and work will continue to resonate for generations to come.
Rest in peace, Gena Rowlands.
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My thoughts are with her family and everyone else who has lost a loved one
