The Notebook Star Gena Rowlands is Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease

Legendary actress and ‘The Notebook’ star Gena Rowlands has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, a condition she portrayed in the film. Her son and the movie’s director, Nick Cassavetes, revealed the news to Entertainment Weekly.

“It’s a coincidence of coincidences. Her mother suffered from dementia. She played a dementia patient, and now she has been dealing with it for five years,” Cassavetes said.

In part of his interview with the outlet, Nick said, “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 has had Alzheimer’s.”

He also talked about the severity of the condition: “She is in full dementia. And it’s so crazy—we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”

‘The Notebook’ was a superhit film starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Gena Rowlands played the older version of Allie. On the other hand Rachel McAdams played the younger version. In the movie, Rowlands’ character is a dementia patient, a challenging role for her.

While talking with O Magazine in 2004, the same year the movie was released, Rowlands disclosed her disagreements. “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,” she said.

The Notebook Success

“The Notebook,” released in 2004 and directed by Nick Cassavetes, is a romantic drama film. It was based on Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 novel of the same name. Over the years, the movie has received various accolades and achievements.

• Box Office Success: The Notebook was a commercial success, grossing over $115 m worldwide on a budget of $29 million.
• Awards and Nominations:
  • MTV Movie & TV Awards: Rachel McAdams won Best Female Performance, and she and Ryan Gosling won Best Kiss in 2005.
  • Teen Choice Awards: The film received several nominations, with McAdams winning Choice Movie Actress: Drama and Choice Movie Breakout Performance – Female in 2004. Gosling and McAdams also won Choice Movie Liplock.
  • Satellite Awards: The movie was nominated for Best Motion Picture, Drama.

The film’s popularity has endured over the years, maintaining a strong fan base and frequently appearing on lists of top romantic movies.

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