Gena Rowlands of The Notebook suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, according to her son.

In the 2004 movie, Rowlands portrayed Allie, the elder counterpart of Rachel McAdams’ character.

The movie, which also stars Ryan Gosling as Barbie, centers on the romance between Allie and Noah (Gosling), who encounter familial pressure because of their disparate socioeconomic origins.

Nick Cassavetes, the 94-year-old’s son, disclosed his mother’s illness to Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday, June 25, the day The Notebook turned 20.

“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,” stated Cassavetes.

She has complete dementia. We lived it; she acted it out; and now it’s all on us. It’s ridiculous.”

The Alzheimer’s Association states that dementia, a general term used to characterize people exhibiting a range of symptoms, is frequently caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

Dementia symptoms, which frequently include a decline in mental abilities, can affect a person’s daily life and relationships.

Although the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is unknown, experts believe that age or family history may play a role.

The actor has previously discussed how having the illness influenced her decision to accept the part. Rowlands’ mother and Cassavetes’ grandmother also had it.

“This last one, The Notebook, based on the Nicholas Sparks novel, was particularly hard because I play a character who has Alzheimer’s,” she stated in a 2004 interview with O magazine.

“It’s simply too difficult, and if Nick hadn’t directed the movie, I doubt I would have pursued it—I went through that with my mother. It was a challenging yet fantastic film.”

Despite being one of Rowlands’ most well-known parts in recent memory, the actress has had a huge career, winning two Oscar nominations for her performances in Gloria (1980) and Woman Under the Influence (1974).

Considering the enormous legacy of The Notebook, Cassavetes said he is proud of the movie since it ‘stands up very well’.

“Hearing how much time has passed is always startling, but it makes sense. Simply put, I’m glad it exists,” the director remarked.
“It seems to have worked, and I’m very proud of it.”