Nick Cassavetes, director of “The Notebook,” has disclosed that his mother and renowned actress Gena Rowlands is battling Alzheimer’s disease. The 65-year-old filmmaker expressed poignant reflections on his mother’s condition, drawing parallels to her iconic role as older Allie in the beloved romantic drama based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel.
“In discussing Alzheimer’s and striving for authenticity, I cast my mom to portray older Allie,” Cassavetes shared with Entertainment Weekly during celebrations marking the film’s 20th anniversary. “For the past five years, she has been grappling with Alzheimer’s, experiencing full dementia. It’s surreal—we lived it, she portrayed it, and now it’s our reality.”
Alzheimer’s has touched multiple generations of the Rowlands family, including Gena’s mother, actress Lady Rowlands, who also faced the disease. Reflecting on her role as Allie, Gena’s daughter, the late actress Alexandra Cassavetes, remarked on the emotional challenges tied to her personal experiences with Alzheimer’s.
“I went through that with my mother,” Alexandra shared with O Magazine in 2004. “If Nick hadn’t directed the film, I don’t think I would have been able to take on the role—it’s just too emotionally demanding. It was a difficult yet deeply meaningful experience.”
“The Notebook,” known for its portrayal of a 1940s love story navigating societal barriers, introduced a new audience to Gena Rowlands alongside co-stars James Garner and Rachel McAdams. Rowlands’ illustrious career, closely intertwined with her collaborations with independent film pioneer John Cassavetes, includes acclaimed films such as “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Gloria,” both of which earned her Academy Award nominations.
John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands, married from 1954 until his passing in 1989, left a lasting legacy in cinema, influencing their daughters Alexandra and Zoe, who continue their parents’ artistic traditions in acting and directing.
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