Gena Rowlands, the iconic actress from Hollywood’s Golden Age has been diagnosed with the terrible Alzheimer’s disease, according to what her son has said.
Gena Rowlands diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 5 years ago
Gena Rowlands, who starred in the acclaimed film “The Notebook” as the older version of Allie, was diagnosed five years ago with Alzheimer’s disease, the same as the character she played in 2004.
Nick Cassavetes, son of the actress, shared with Entertainment Weekly the news of her mother’s diagnosis, who, in turn, also had the experience of caring for her own mother with the disease.
“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,” said Nick Cassavetes. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy… we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”
The two-time Golden Globe winner had already commented in previous interviews that the role of Allie was especially important for her, since her own mother was also living with that diagnosis.
“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 told to O Magazine.
Alzheimer’s Disease
According to the NGO, Mayo Clinic: “Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that gets worse over time. It’s characterized by changes in the brain that lead to deposits of certain proteins. Alzheimer’s disease causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to eventually die.”
Around 6.5 million people in the United States who are 65 and older have Alzheimer’s disease. Out of these, over 70% are aged 75 and above. Globally, there are about 55 million people living with dementia, and it’s estimated that 60% to 70% of them have Alzheimer’s.
Early signs of Alzheimer’s include forgetting recent events or conversations. As the disease progresses, it leads to severe memory issues and the inability to carry out daily activities.
Gena Rowlands’ Career
In the early 1950s, actress Gena Rowlands made her Broadway debut in the play ‘The Seven Year Itch’, and by the end of the same decade, she was already making her debut in her first film ‘The High Cost of Loving’. ‘.
Years later, in 1972, she won her first Golden Globe for her participation as best dramatic actress in ‘A Women Under the Influence’, a film for which she was also nominated for an Oscar.
In November 2015, Gena Rowlands received an honorary Oscar award in recognition of her on-screen performances and her contribution to film.
