![\"Gena](\"https:\/\/hollywoodlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/GettyImages-50984821-2_7cc28a-e1723724808698.jpeg?quality=100&w=384&h=216&crop=1\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n
Gena Rowlands<\/strong>,best known for her role as the future version of Allie Hamilton in The Notebook<\/em>, has died. She was 94 years old. The news comes two months after her son, director Nick Cassavetes<\/strong>, revealed that she had been living with Alzheimer\u2019s Disease for several years \u2014 similar to her film character.<\/p>\n According to TMZ<\/a>,\u00a0<\/i>Gena died at home in Indian Wells, California, on Wednesday, August 14. She was surrounded by her loved ones, including second husband Robert Forrest<\/strong> and daughter Alexandra Cassavetes<\/strong>, the outlet reported.<\/p>\n Gena, a Wisconsin native, began her acting career in the late 1940s. Throughout the 1950s, she performed on Broadway, including in The Seven Year Itch <\/em>and Middle of the Night<\/em>. She eventually landed several gigs on television, starring opposite her first husband, John Cassavetes<\/strong>, in the series Johnny Staccato<\/em>. The spouses \u2014 who were married from 1954 until he died in 1989 \u2014 starred in 10 movies together. Over the next few decades, Gena found more work on screen in countless films and TV shows. Her last project, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks<\/em>, was released in 2014.<\/p>\n After retiring from acting, Gena was diagnosed with Alzheimer\u2019s Disease, Nick revealed earlier this year. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly<\/em><\/a>, the filmmaker recalled casting his mother to play the older version of Allie in The Notebook,<\/em> which came out in 2004.<\/p>\n \u201cI got my mom to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer\u2019s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she\u2019s had Alzheimer\u2019s,\u201d Nick told the publication in June. \u201cShe\u2019s in full dementia. And it\u2019s so crazy \u2014 we lived it, she acted it, and now it\u2019s on us.\u201d<\/p>\n Even though they maintained professionalism on set, Nick recalled on moment when his mom was \u201cpissed\u201d at him.<\/p>\n \u201cWe go to reshoots, and now it\u2019s one of those things where mama\u2019s pissed, and I had asked her, \u2018Can you do it, mom?\u2019 She goes, \u2018I can do anything,\u2019\u201d he recalled. \u201cI promise you, on my father\u2019s life, this is true: Teardrops came flying out of her eyes when she saw [co-star James Garner<\/strong>], and she burst into tears.\u201d<\/p>\n After Nick\u2019s revelation made headlines, The Notebook<\/em> author Nicholas Sparks<\/strong> sent his best wishes<\/a> to Gena and her family in an Instagram<\/a> tribute.<\/p>\n \u201cAlzheimer\u2019s is such a cruel disease,\u201d the novelist captioned his post in June. \u201cOn days like today, I\u2019m reminded of Gena\u2019s powerful portrayal of Allie and the depth she brought to the character. Her performance touched millions of hearts and helped bring my story to life in ways I never imagined. \u2026 I will always cherish her legacy in film and her impact on The Notebook.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Actress](\"https:\/\/hollywoodlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/GettyImages-1630179015.jpeg?quality=100&w=700\")