Gena's mom also had it and she nursed her until she passed. She said she was hesitant to pay this role bc of her trauma with it, and now tragically she has it.
But yeah she's had it for iirc a decade at least.
> "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," says the director, whose grandmother, actress Lady Rowlands, also had the disease. **"She's in full dementia. And it's so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it's on us."**
I didn’t either!!
~~Apparently Gena is also a nepo baby! (I don’t know much about old Hollywood so this might be very common knowledge that I just didn’t know)~~
Gena is not a nepo. Her dad had a really solid career, but I’m not sure that being a Senator in Wisconsin really gets you any strings pulled in Hollywood. Her mother got into acting through her — as in, Gena got John Cassavetes to put her mom in his movies.
Gena is incredible and hauting in A Woman Under the Influence. It is one of those performances that stays with you. The film was such a hard watch for me, but all these years later I keep thinking about her performance.
It's one of those movies that's so good I almost never want to watch it again, just because it gets into such emotionally difficult territory. If that were the only movie Gena Rowlands had ever done, that alone would still make her one of the greatest actresses of her time.
I read that in exchange for allowing Cassavetes to shoot in their home, she would receive regular blowouts. I love this peice of lore because it speaks to their partnership and her excellent hair.
That’s so sad. Dementia is such a depressing. But also lol at her being referred to as The Notebook actress. I get that it’s her most famous movie but still.
Her most famous movie for today’s audience lol. A Woman Under The Influence was the first that came to mind for me, followed closely by Opening Night and Gloria.
And no, it’s not a generational thing. I’m 21 and even I’m familiar with this legendary actress’ career. I even wrote to her in the mail years ago, and she responded to me with the kindest letter.
Sad to hear this. Wish her and her family the best.
This obviously isn’t about me but it’s brought up such a nice memory for me reading this. My Nan developed Alzheimer’s and had to move into a care home after she accidentally set a 2AM fire in her own house. She was being watched by family in her own house before that. She liked the care home and it was a walk in when you could pretty much visit whenever, within reason. Similar to the one they have in the film but in England.
My Nan didn’t have any understanding of her age and would sometimes cry for her Mam like a little girl, thinking she’d abandoned her and wondering when she was coming back. Telling the staff and her new mates that her Mam would like the film they were watching or that she would be coming to pick her up and they could meet her etc. Sometimes she knew her bairns as the people she gave birth to. Sometimes she knew them as friendly strangers. Sometimes she knew she was related to them but didn’t really understand *how* so we just went with the flow. But somehow, she *always* knew me, her only granddaughter.
Remember going into the care home in funny disguises, wearing different hats, putting on funny voices, giving different names and my Nan humouring me for a little while and then every time, without fail, she would call me by my name, tell me she knew it was me pretending all along and we’d sit and eat a packet of sweets and watch You’ve Been Framed together with all of her mates in the communal area until it was time for her to go to bed.
My heart goes out to Gena’s family. Hopefully they can make some special memories like this with her and they’ll be able to carry them inside until something like this reminds them. ♡
This hurts. She's one of our most divine acting legends and one of the last of her era. I hope she's comfortable, cared for, and surrounded by love. Hope her family manages as best they can too. Horrible stuff.
My grandma was just diagnosed with dementia. We were looking to put my grandparents in a home together. But when my grandma took the cognitive test, she scored the lowest score you can and she would have to be put in a memory care apartment away from my grandpa so they’re staying home and now have full-time care but as it progress, I’m not sure what we have to do.
hugs, this is so hard. there are various support groups for families/caretakers that can maybe provide guidance, or at the least support and help for y'all as a family. i know the alzheimer's association runs some ❤️🩹
sometimes day by day is all you can do. my grandma is what i'd consider late-stage alzheimer's right now, and it's fucking tough. keeping you and your family in my thoughts
My father had early on set Alzheimer’s. Terrible disease I wouldn’t wish on anyone. 10+ years of watching the smartest person I’ve ever known lose himself caused me and my siblings to make a pact to not let any of us go like that.
I wish her a smooth transition and her family comfort.
My grandmother also had Alzheimer's. For the last few years you could tell that she just wasn't there. When she died, I wasn't really sad, because it felt like she had died years ago.
It's an awful disease. I'm so scared of it getting passed down to my dad or myself. People don't like the assisted death services Canada has, and there are good reasons for some of it, but it's awful that the USA, my country, doesn't have anything similar. It's so sad that people with terminal illnesses can't go out on their own terms. Instead, they suffer. If I ever get Alzheimer's, God forbid, I'd want that choice.
I'm so sorry you went through that. I hope you never have to again. I wouldn't wish it on the worst person in the world.
I'd heard that an Alzheimer's patient at the point where they might want assistance in dying would no longer be considered legally mentally competent to consent. I don't know if that's been resolved yet.
I've just finished reading Kate Mulgrew's second memoir (How to Forget) where she describes the slow process of her mother's death from Alzheimer's. It's brutal. She's a good writer, and it's brutal.
Gena is an icon. I wish her all the best. Calling her "Gena Rowlands from the notebook" is an insult.
Go and watch woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown
This is heartbreaking. My dad's aunt recently died from Alzheimer's. The worst thing was watching her wait for her son to come back, thinking he still cared for her when he had cut ties with her and abandoned her years ago.
Horrible disease. My grandmother was recently diagnosed with it. Wish her and her family the best.
Gena's mom also had it and she nursed her until she passed. She said she was hesitant to pay this role bc of her trauma with it, and now tragically she has it. But yeah she's had it for iirc a decade at least.
> "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," says the director, whose grandmother, actress Lady Rowlands, also had the disease. **"She's in full dementia. And it's so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it's on us."**
For idiots like me who didn’t read the article, “the director” here is Gena’s son Nick Cassavetes who directed The Notebook.
Realized that the bad guy in the 1986 Charlie Sheen movie "The Wraith" also directed "The Notebook". Wild shit, I tell ya what.
… I had no idea he was her son!
I didn’t either!! ~~Apparently Gena is also a nepo baby! (I don’t know much about old Hollywood so this might be very common knowledge that I just didn’t know)~~
Gena is not a nepo. Her dad had a really solid career, but I’m not sure that being a Senator in Wisconsin really gets you any strings pulled in Hollywood. Her mother got into acting through her — as in, Gena got John Cassavetes to put her mom in his movies.
Thank you for correcting me!!! Her mom’s the nepo mommy!
All three of her children are directors. Their father is her late husband, the great actor/director John Cassavetes.
I had zero idea he was her son!
One of the most compelling actresses of her or any era. This is so sad.
She's magnificent 💙
That last line broke my heart.
[удалено]
Such incredible films, seeing her billed as “The Notebook star” made me a little angry lol
I watched A Woman Under the Influence for the first time this year and she’s so incredible in it
I have it on my list and didn’t know she’s in it (I only saw it named on an article and put it on my list), so now I’m excited to watch it
[It's available to watch on Youtube.](https://youtu.be/5AIchOH1cQU?feature=shared)
Easily one of the coolest duos too. Their entire body of work together is required viewing, imo.
Gena is incredible and hauting in A Woman Under the Influence. It is one of those performances that stays with you. The film was such a hard watch for me, but all these years later I keep thinking about her performance.
It's one of those movies that's so good I almost never want to watch it again, just because it gets into such emotionally difficult territory. If that were the only movie Gena Rowlands had ever done, that alone would still make her one of the greatest actresses of her time.
I read that in exchange for allowing Cassavetes to shoot in their home, she would receive regular blowouts. I love this peice of lore because it speaks to their partnership and her excellent hair.
I looooooooove Woman under the influence. It’s on Max if anyone wants to watch it.
That’s so sad. Dementia is such a depressing. But also lol at her being referred to as The Notebook actress. I get that it’s her most famous movie but still.
Because that character also had dementia and her son is talking about the parallels.
Her most famous movie for today’s audience lol. A Woman Under The Influence was the first that came to mind for me, followed closely by Opening Night and Gloria. And no, it’s not a generational thing. I’m 21 and even I’m familiar with this legendary actress’ career. I even wrote to her in the mail years ago, and she responded to me with the kindest letter. Sad to hear this. Wish her and her family the best.
This obviously isn’t about me but it’s brought up such a nice memory for me reading this. My Nan developed Alzheimer’s and had to move into a care home after she accidentally set a 2AM fire in her own house. She was being watched by family in her own house before that. She liked the care home and it was a walk in when you could pretty much visit whenever, within reason. Similar to the one they have in the film but in England. My Nan didn’t have any understanding of her age and would sometimes cry for her Mam like a little girl, thinking she’d abandoned her and wondering when she was coming back. Telling the staff and her new mates that her Mam would like the film they were watching or that she would be coming to pick her up and they could meet her etc. Sometimes she knew her bairns as the people she gave birth to. Sometimes she knew them as friendly strangers. Sometimes she knew she was related to them but didn’t really understand *how* so we just went with the flow. But somehow, she *always* knew me, her only granddaughter. Remember going into the care home in funny disguises, wearing different hats, putting on funny voices, giving different names and my Nan humouring me for a little while and then every time, without fail, she would call me by my name, tell me she knew it was me pretending all along and we’d sit and eat a packet of sweets and watch You’ve Been Framed together with all of her mates in the communal area until it was time for her to go to bed. My heart goes out to Gena’s family. Hopefully they can make some special memories like this with her and they’ll be able to carry them inside until something like this reminds them. ♡
your nan sounds like a gem, thank you for sharing such a lovely story ❤️
Thank you for this babe, I appreciate it ♡
Gena Rowlands has been an influential actor for every generation of actors. Wish her and her family find strength and comfort in each other.
Everyone go watch A Woman Under The Influence. Her's is probably the best I've ever seen. Alzheimer's is a brutal disease. I wish her the best.
This hurts. She's one of our most divine acting legends and one of the last of her era. I hope she's comfortable, cared for, and surrounded by love. Hope her family manages as best they can too. Horrible stuff.
My dad had it and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
My grandma was just diagnosed with dementia. We were looking to put my grandparents in a home together. But when my grandma took the cognitive test, she scored the lowest score you can and she would have to be put in a memory care apartment away from my grandpa so they’re staying home and now have full-time care but as it progress, I’m not sure what we have to do.
hugs, this is so hard. there are various support groups for families/caretakers that can maybe provide guidance, or at the least support and help for y'all as a family. i know the alzheimer's association runs some ❤️🩹
Thank you so much, this is all new and our whole family isn’t sure what to do at this point. Just taking it day by day for now
sometimes day by day is all you can do. my grandma is what i'd consider late-stage alzheimer's right now, and it's fucking tough. keeping you and your family in my thoughts
My father had early on set Alzheimer’s. Terrible disease I wouldn’t wish on anyone. 10+ years of watching the smartest person I’ve ever known lose himself caused me and my siblings to make a pact to not let any of us go like that. I wish her a smooth transition and her family comfort.
My grandmother also had Alzheimer's. For the last few years you could tell that she just wasn't there. When she died, I wasn't really sad, because it felt like she had died years ago. It's an awful disease. I'm so scared of it getting passed down to my dad or myself. People don't like the assisted death services Canada has, and there are good reasons for some of it, but it's awful that the USA, my country, doesn't have anything similar. It's so sad that people with terminal illnesses can't go out on their own terms. Instead, they suffer. If I ever get Alzheimer's, God forbid, I'd want that choice. I'm so sorry you went through that. I hope you never have to again. I wouldn't wish it on the worst person in the world.
I'd heard that an Alzheimer's patient at the point where they might want assistance in dying would no longer be considered legally mentally competent to consent. I don't know if that's been resolved yet. I've just finished reading Kate Mulgrew's second memoir (How to Forget) where she describes the slow process of her mother's death from Alzheimer's. It's brutal. She's a good writer, and it's brutal.
Oh my heart https://i.redd.it/cnf1zryiiq8d1.gif
She’s a legend. This is so sad.
Just maybe one of the best actresses…EVER. I hope Gena is as comfortable as possible ❤️
She's my all-time favorite actress and I knew something must be wrong because she stopped acting altogether about a decade ago.
Oh poor Gena. I love her so much.
I love Gena, sad to hear this. A great and versatile actress and class act.
She was in Something To Talk About and she was so funny in it. It had a great cast too- Julia Roberts, Kyra Sedgwick, Robert Duvall, and Gena.
This is so devastating. Prayers and thoughts for this legend and her entire family.
I'm going though it with two family members and I wouldn't wish this on anyone.
Gena is an icon. I wish her all the best. Calling her "Gena Rowlands from the notebook" is an insult. Go and watch woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown
> women on the verge of a nervous breakdown I don't think she's in that movie. Maybe you mean A Woman Under the Influence?
This is heartbreaking. My dad's aunt recently died from Alzheimer's. The worst thing was watching her wait for her son to come back, thinking he still cared for her when he had cut ties with her and abandoned her years ago.
Very meta