Gena Rowlands, star of A Woman Under the Influence, dies at 94

August 16, 2024 5:38 PM

Gena Rowlands, whose seminal and fearless performance in A Woman Under the Influence inspired a generation of actors and who starred in many films directed by her husband, John Cassavetes, as well as in the romance The Notebook, died Wednesday at her home in Indian Wells, California. She was 94.

In June, Nick Cassavetes, who directed his mother in The Notebook, had shared that the three-time Emmy winner and two-time Oscar nominee had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.

She was nominated twice for an Academy Award, first for A Woman Under the Influence and again for Gloria in 1980. In 2015, she was awarded an honorary Oscar for her lengthy career.

posted by kitten kaboodle (26 comments total)

Gorgeous and talented...
posted by Czjewel at 5:40 PM on August 16

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posted by ishmael at 5:42 PM on August 16

I've always loved Wold and Cub stories, and Gloria was one of the first times I'd seen it with a woman, especially an older woman. I was enthralled. She was one of the greats.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 5:48 PM on August 16 [3 favorites]

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posted by briank at 5:49 PM on August 16

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posted by Silvery Fish at 6:08 PM on August 16

Ugh--WOLF and Cub.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 6:16 PM on August 16

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posted by gentlyepigrams at 6:24 PM on August 16

A fearless artist. And so damned elegant.

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posted by queensissy at 6:29 PM on August 16

the scene from Gloria that made me a fan

contains spoilers, I guess, but it comes from fairly early in the movie
posted by philip-random at 6:48 PM on August 16 [2 favorites]

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... such an amazing actress
posted by Surfurrus at 7:24 PM on August 16

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posted by gwint at 7:35 PM on August 16

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posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 3:00 AM on August 17

i'll always remember the first Gena Rowlands film i saw. unlike anything else, before or since.
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posted by HearHere at 3:48 AM on August 17

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posted by SageLeVoid at 4:09 AM on August 17

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posted by Rustic Etruscan at 5:29 AM on August 17

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posted by oozy rat in a sanitary zoo at 5:46 AM on August 17

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I am probably not the only Gen Xer who was a big fan, underneath which the layers peel back like this:

-big Gena Rowlands fan, preceded by...
-really appreciated her work with John Cassavetes, preceded by...
-Cassavetes fan, preceded by
-heard about Cassavetes/Rowlands from the Fugazi song "Cassavetes"
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:13 AM on August 17 [2 favorites]

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posted by theora55 at 7:38 AM on August 17

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posted by hap_hazard at 8:27 AM on August 17

i'll always remember the first Gena Rowlands film i saw. unlike anything else, before or since.

A Woman Under the Influence is an emotional gut punch that few movies can even hope to aspire to.

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posted by jonp72 at 9:06 AM on August 17

-heard about Cassavetes/Rowlands from the Fugazi song "Cassavetes"

See also Le Tigre, What's Yr Take On Cassavetes.
posted by jonp72 at 9:09 AM on August 17 [2 favorites]

I am embarassed to say the only movie I ever saw her in was The Notebook. But now I have reason to search out her filmography.
posted by HeroZero at 9:31 AM on August 17

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posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 2:43 PM on August 17

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posted by brujita at 3:35 PM on August 17

I was in high school in 1980 when Gloria came out. She has been a major film crush ever since.


Fair well beyond the stars
posted by Pembquist at 11:15 AM on August 19

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posted by koucha at 10:50 AM on August 21