‘SHE ACTED IT, AND NOW…’

Gena Rowlands, 93, Has the Same Disease as Her ‘Notebook’ Character

The actress’ son Nick Cassavetes confirmed the news this week.

Legendary actress Gena Rowlands has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, according to her son, director and actor Nick Cassavetes. Rowlands, who famously portrayed the older version of Rachel McAdams’ character in The Notebook who also had dementia, has had a long and storied career, which includes two Oscar nominations and one honorary Academy Award. Cassavetes directed The Notebook and shared the news of his mother’s condition with Entertainment Weekly during an interview to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary. “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 told the site. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy—we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”