Actor Gena Rowlands has revealed that she has Alzheimer’s disease, as shared by her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes.
Cassavetes, who directed his mother in “The Notebook,” disclosed this information while reflecting on the film’s 20th anniversary in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. In the beloved romantic movie, Rowlands portrayed the older version of the character Allie, played in her younger years by Rachel McAdams, who experiences dementia.
“I got my mom to play the older Allie, and we delved deeply into discussions about Alzheimer’s to portray it authentically. Now, for the past five years, she has been living with Alzheimer’s,” Cassavetes disclosed. “She has progressed into full dementia, and it’s surreal — we lived through it, she performed it, and now we are witnessing it.”
With a prestigious career spanning almost seven decades in both screen and stage, Rowlands boasts a remarkable resume with over 100 film and TV roles, two Academy Award nominations, an Honorary Academy Award, four Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and numerous other accolades. The 94-year-old actress is renowned for her collaborations with her husband and director of her three children, including Nick, John Cassavetes.
John also directed Rowlands’ mother, Lady, in multiple films. Reflecting in an interview with O magazine in 2004, Rowlands explained the emotional challenge of portraying Allie in “The Notebook” due to her mother’s health before her passing in 1999.
“This last one — ‘The Notebook,’ based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks — was particularly hard because I play a character who has Alzheimer’s,” Rowlands shared. “I experienced that with my mother, and if Nick hadn’t directed the film, I wouldn’t have taken it on — it’s just too emotionally demanding. It was a difficult yet rewarding project.”
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain condition that leads to brain atrophy and cell death, as explained by Mayo Clinic. It stands as the primary cause of dementia, characterized by a gradual decline in memory, cognition, social interactions, and behavior, impacting one’s daily functioning.
Although the exact cause of Alzheimer’s remains unclear, factors such as age, genetics, environment, and lifestyle likely contribute to its development, according to the National Institute on Aging. While a family history of the disease doesn’t guarantee its occurrence, it does elevate the risk. Additionally, although aging is not a direct cause, it remains the most significant risk factor.
Mayo Clinic reports that approximately 6.5 million individuals in the U.S. aged 65 and older are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, and globally, out of about 55 million people with dementia, an estimated 60% to 70% are likely suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
