Gena Rowlands

Gena Rowlands was an American actor whose career in film, stage, and television spanned nearly seven decades. A four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner, she is known for her collaborations with her actor-director husband John Cassavetes in ten films, including A Woman Under the Influence (1974) and Gloria (1980), both of which earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also won the Silver Bear for Best Actress for Opening Night (1977). She is also known for her performances in Woody Allen's Another Woman (1988) and her son Nick Cassavetes's film The Notebook (2004). In 2021, Richard Brody of The New Yorker said, "The most important and original movie actor of the past half century-plus is Gena Rowlands." In November 2015, Rowlands received an Honorary Academy Award in recognition of her unique screen performances.

Family life

Rowlands was born on June 19, 1930, in Madison, Wisconsin. Her mother, Mary Allen (née Neal), was a housewife who later worked as an actor under the stage name Lady Rowlands. Her father, Edwin Myrwyn Rowlands, was a banker and state legislator. He was a member of the Wisconsin Progressive Party, and was of Welsh descent. She had an elder brother, David Rowlands.

Rowlands was married to John Cassavetes from March 9, 1954 until his death on February 3, 1989. They met at the American Academy at Carnegie Hall, where they were both students. They had three children, all actor-directors: Nick, Alexandra, and Zoe. Rowlands married retired businessman Robert Forrest in 2012. (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Sources

• "Gena Rowlands." Wikipedia, revision of 15 August 2024. < link > Accessed 15 August 2024.
• "Gena Rowlands, acting legend who starred in 'The Notebook,' dies at 94." The Associated Press via NBC News, published 14 August 2024. < link > Accessed 15 August 2024.
• "John Cassavetes & Virginia Rowlands." New York City Marriages, 1950-2017 via MyHeritage. < link > Accessed 16 August 2024.
  • NOTE: Marriage license dated 9 March 1954. Marriage performed 19 March 1954.
• "Miss Rowlands Will Be Bride in New York City." The Milwaukee Journal via MyHeritage, published 17 March 1954, p. 4-2. < link > Accessed 16 August 2024.