‘Notebook’ Star Gena Rowlands’ Son Shares Heartbreaking News About Mom

“The Notebook” star Gena Rowlands’ son Nick Cassavetes shared heartbreaking news that his mother is in “full dementia” and has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

During an interview with Cassavetes, in honor of the romantic film’s 20th anniversary, the director and son of the 94-year-old actress reflected on the character his mom played in his 2004 film — the older version of Allie, a woman with dementia — while Rachel McAdams played the younger one, Entertainment Weekly reported.

“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,” Cassavetes said.

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

Speaking on the film’s anniversary, Cassavetes also said that he’s proud of the film they made together.

It “holds up pretty good after 20 years,” the director said.  “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,” he added.  “It seems to have worked and I’m very proud of it.”

After the movie came out in 2004, Rowlands spoke to O magazine about relating to the character as her own mother, actress Lady Rowlands also had been diagnosed with the disease.

Gena Rowlands has been living with Alzheimer’s disease “for the last five years,” says her son and “The Notebook” director Nick Cassavetes.

“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… pic.twitter.com/ix8rL6suzE

— Variety (@Variety) June 25, 2024

“This last one — ‘The Notebook,’ based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks — was particularly hard because I play a character who has Alzheimer’s,” Rowlands said at the time.

“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,” she added. “It was a tough but wonderful movie.”

A description about “The Notebook” read, “An elderly man reads to a woman with dementia the story of two young lovers whose romance is threatened by the difference in their respective social classes.” James Garner plays the role of the elderly man reading to Rowlands.

Rowland’s career dates back to the 1950s and spans seven decades on the screen. She was previously nominated for two Oscars and was given an honorary Academy award in 2015, the Guardian noted. She also won multiple Emmy awards for her numerous roles in various TV shows, USA Today noted.