Gena Rowlands, renowned for her role as the older Allie in “The Notebook,” has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, her son, director and actor Nick Cassavetes, revealed. According to Entertainment Weekly, the Hollywood legend has been living with Alzheimer’s for the past five years.
Reflecting on the 20th anniversary of the beloved film, which starred Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, Cassavetes shared the poignant irony of his mother’s diagnosis. “I got my mom to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” he said.
The 93-year-old actress has previously spoken about her family’s history with the disease, noting that her grandmother, actress Lady Rowlands, also suffered from Alzheimer’s. In a 2004 interview with O Magazine, Rowlands discussed the challenges of portraying a character with Alzheimer’s, stating, “I went through that with my mother, and if Nick hadn’t directed the film, I don’t think I would have gone for it — it’s just too hard. It was a tough but wonderful movie.”
Nick Cassavetes further described his mother’s current condition, saying, “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.” He expressed a mix of nostalgia and pride for the film, adding, “It’s always a shock to hear that as much time has gone by as it has, but it makes sense. I’m just happy that it exists. It seems to have worked and I’m very proud of it.”