‘The Notebook’ Star Gena Rowlands Has Alzheimer’s Disease

Gena Rowlands attends the premiere of "My Sister's Keeper" at the AMC Lincoln Square theater in New York City on June 24, 2009. (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Gena Rowlands, who memorably played the older version of Rachel McAdam’s character, Allie, in the romance film “The Notebook,'' has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Her son and the film’s director, Nick Cassavetes, revealed his mother’s diagnosis in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly.

The 94-year-old has been living with the disease for five years now, but Mr. Cassavetes said he felt compelled to open up while describing the full circle moment for the 20th anniversary of the film.

“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 character she played in the movie also suffered from dementia.

“She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder affecting a person’s ability to function. It is the most common cause of dementia, a gradual decline in memory, thinking, behavior, and social skills. Nearly 7 million Americans have the disease.

While Alzheimer’s is incurable, early detection and some treatment options like medication, have helped some patients delay its onset and progression.

The Notebook

Released in 2004, “The Notebook” is based on Nicholas Sparks’ debut 1996 novel. It follows a love story between “Noah” and “Allie,” a young couple kept apart as a result of different social backgrounds.

Many years later, Allie is found residing in a nursing home suffering from dementia and struggles to remember her past.

The couple’s love story is recounted in the film by an elderly man played by James Garner to Ms. Rowlands, whose memories begin to slowly resurface. It is later revealed the two are married and are the older versions of “Noah” and “Allie”.

Mr. Cassavetes’ noted his grandmother and Ms. Rowlands’ mother, actress Lady Rowlands, also had Alzheimer’s disease.

Speaking to “O” Magazine in 2004, Ms. Rowlands said she channeled her mother while playing Allie, and how it impacted her decision in taking on the role.

“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.”

Two decades after hitting the box office, the movie remains a classic and Mr. Cassavetes recalls his mother handling the role with such grace. He said she was truly gifted in her talents and looks back on the film with a sense of pride and creative satisfaction.

“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,” he said.

Early Career

With a career spanning over six decades, Ms. Rowlands is an acclaimed television, film, and stage actress best known for her collaborations with her late actor-director husband John Cassavetes.

Appearing in a number of films together, their credits include “A Woman Under the Influence” (1974) and “Gloria” (1980). Both performances earned her Academy Award nominations for best actress.

Her other film credits include “Opening Night (1977),” Woody Allen’s “Another Woman (1988)” and “Night on Earth (1991).”

She is a four-time Emmy winner for outstanding lead and supporting actress and a two-time Golden Globe winner. In 2015 she received a lifetime achievement honorary Academy Award for her unique screen performances.

Meanwhile, “The Notebook” grossed over $100 million at the box office worldwide and is dubbed one of the most popular romance films.

Ms. Rowlands’ last feature film role was in the 2014 comedy-drama “Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks,” co-starring Cheyenne Jackson, before retiring the following year.