Gena Rowlands, the celebrated actress known for her powerful and introspective performances, died on Wednesday, 14 August 2024. She was 94.
Story Summary:
- Legendary actress Gena Rowlands passed away at the age of 94.
- The cause of death was complications from Alzheimer’s disease, confirmed by her family.
- Rowlands was celebrated for her iconic roles in film, stage, and television over nearly seven decades.
Gena Rowlands dies: What’s the cause of death?
Her death was confirmed by her son Nick Cassavetes’ representative, Daniel Greenberg.
The cause of death was complications related to Alzheimer’s disease, which Rowlands had been battling for the past five years.
Her family shared that she passed away peacefully at her home in Indian Wells, California.
Gena Rowlands biography
Gena Rowlands was born Virginia Cathryn Rowlands on 19 June 1930, in Cambria, Wisconsin.
She began her acting career in the early 1950s, quickly making a name for herself with her intense and elegant performances.
Rowlands was particularly known for her collaborations with her husband, director John Cassavetes, starring in ten films together, including the critically acclaimed A Woman Under the Influence (1974) and Gloria (1980), both of which earned her Academy Award nominations for Best Actress.
Rowlands was a four-time Emmy winner and two-time Golden Globe winner.
Her work spanned nearly seven decades, and she was recognised for her ability to bring depth and authenticity to her characters.
In addition to her work with Cassavetes, Rowlands starred in Woody Allen’s Another Woman (1988) and her son Nick Cassavetes’ film The Notebook(2004).
In 2015, she received an Honorary Academy Award for her contributions to cinema.
Rowlands’ career was marked by a dedication to her craft and a willingness to take on complex and challenging roles.
Her performances have been lauded as some of the most important in film history, with The New Yorker’s Richard Brody calling her “the most important and original movie actor of the past half century-plus.”
Reactions to Gena’s death
The news of Gena Rowlands’ death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from the entertainment industry and fans alike.
Many have taken to social media to express their admiration for the actress and her lasting impact on film and television.
Here are some of the reactions we picked: