Gena Rowlands' son Nick Cassavetes paid tribute to his mother following her death at the age of 94 on Wednesday.
The 65-year-old filmmaker — who directed Gena in 2004's The Notebook — took to his Instagramon Friday to share a sweet message and an adorable throwback snap.
'One last hurrah. Love you, Mom. See you soon…,' he wrote alongside a photo of the pair smiling together.
Nick also shared several memories and tributes that others posted about his Oscar-nominated mom.
One of the images he reposted showed Gena holding hands with her husband, John Cassavetes—Nick's father—during the filming of their 1977 movie.
Gena Rowland's son Nick Cassavetes paid tribute to his mom following her death at the age of 94 on Wednesday; (Nick and Gena in 1997)
The 65-year-old filmmaker — who directed Gena in 2004's The Notebook — took to his Instagram on Friday to share a sweet message and an adorable throwback snap (pictured)
Gena and John, who was both an actor and director and known for his role in Rosemary’s Baby, married in 1954.
The couple had three children—Nick, Alexandra, and Zoe—before John passed away in 1989 at the age of 59 due to complications from cirrhosis.
Nick's tribute follows Hollywood stars taking to social media to honor the iconic actress.
Among those celebs was Jamie Lee Curtis, who took to her Instagram to share a photo of the actress and a heartfelt message.
'A brilliant actress, Gena Rowlands has died,' the Oscar winner, 65, began. 'She was one of the greats and for me a guide. Certainly Donna was an homage to her. Watch A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE! Rest in the knowledge that you were admired and respected.'
Danny DeVito, Amy Sedaris, Carrie Coon and more followed Curtis' lead with touching tributes to the A Women Under the Influence icon.
The Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia shared a simple message with the words: 'Gena, love,' alongside a love-heart emoji and another emoji with an upset expression.
The Mandalorian star Sedaris posted images of Rowlands in various movies, including stills from A Women Under the Influence.
'One last hurrah. Love you, Mom. See you soon…,' he wrote alongside a photo of the pair smiling together
Nick also shared several memories and tributes that others posted about his Oscar-nominated mom; (seen in 1992)
Gena and John, who was both an actor and director and known for his role in Rosemary’s Baby, married in 1954; (Nick and Gena in 2015)
Gena with her son Nick on the set of The Notebook
She famously portrayed the older version of actress Rachel McAdams' Allie in her son's beloved film; seen with James Garner
'One last hurrah. Love you, Mom. See you soon…,' Nick wrote in his tribute; (Pictured: Rowlands with three children, Alexandra, Nick, and Zoe, and her granddaughter Gina)
'Rest in peace Gena Rowland,' wrote Sedaris. 'No one comes close. No one. Very sad. #spiritinthesky.'
Actor Michael Rapaport wrote, 'Absolutely a game-changing actress. She was gorgeous and gritty.'
Also paying tribute to the star was film critic Richard Roeper, who called Rowlands 'a 'blazing talent.'
Nick recently revealed that his mother — like her heartbreaking character in The Notebook — had been diagnosed withAlzheimer'sdisease.
He disclosed toEntertainment Weekly in June 2024 that Gena had been battling the disease for five years, and was now 'in full dementia.'
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's had Alzheimer's.
'She's in full dementia. And it's so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it's on us.'
Although she had a decades-long Hollywood career, Gena's depiction of Old Allie in The Notebook made the movie a love story for the ages.
The Notebook, based on Nicholas Sparks' 1996 novel, tells a poignant love story between working-class Noah and wealthy Allie, who fall deeply in love while defying societal differences.
Among those honoring The Notebook alum was Jamie Lee Curtis , who took to her Instagram to share a photo of the actress and a heartfelt message; seen in August
Danny DeVito, Amy Sedaris and more followed Curtis' lead with touching tributes to the A Women Under the Influence icon.
She was surrounded by family, including her husband of 12-years, Robert Forrest (pictured with Gena in 2006), and daughter Alexandra Cassavetes, 58
The film cuts between the unlikely couple's passionate youth and the present day, where an elderly Noah, disguised as 'Duke,' reads their story from a notebook to a fellow nursing home resident – his wife Allie (Gena Rowlands) now suffering from dementia.
To keep the spark alive and rekindle their romance in spite of her memory loss, Noah has been reading out of a notebook written by Allie in the beginning stages of her illness, detailing their love story so he can help her remember him.
In a 2004 interview with O Magazine, Rowlands opened up about how her own mother's struggle with the disease impacted her decision to play Allie.
'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.'
Nick, reflecting on his experience directing his mother in The Notebook, shared a bittersweet memory with Entertainment Weekly in June.
After showing the completed film to studio executives, they requested a reshoot. Specifically, they wanted Rowlands to display stronger emotions when her character rediscovers her memories and reunites with her love, Noah (James Garner).
Nick recounted the awkward moment of informing his mother about the reshoots, and she was not happy; 'Let me get this straight. We're reshooting because of my performance?' she said.
'We go to reshoots, and now it's one of those things where mama's pissed and I had asked her, "Can you do it, mom?" She goes, "I can do anything,"' Rowland's son recalled.
'I promise you, on my father's life, this is true: Teardrops came flying out of her eyes when she saw [Garner], and she burst into tears. And I was like, okay, well, we got that ... It's the one time I was in trouble on set.'
Nick said he is not only proud of the film's success, cemented as a romance 'cult classic' for the past 20 years - he also looks backs warmly at the times he shared with his mother on set.
'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 says, adding, 'It seems to have worked and I'm very proud of it.'
Many of Gena's best performances were in collaboration with her actor-director husband John Cassavetes, who died in 1989 and is father to her three kids Nick, Alexandra and Zoe, 54; the couple seen in 1975
They worked on a total of 10 film together - notably A Woman Under the Influence (1974) and Gloria (1980) as her performances in both films earned her Best Actress Oscar nods; seen in Gloria
Wisconsin-born Gena dazzled on the big screen and stage for seven decades before retiring from her stellar career in 2014, at the age of 84.
Many of her best performances were in collaboration with her actor-director husband John Cassavetes, who died in 1989 and is father to her three kids Nick, Alexandra and Zoe, 54.
They worked on a total of 10 film together - notably A Woman Under the Influence (1974) and Gloria (1980) as her performances in both films earned herBest Actress Oscar nods.
Though she lost out on the Oscars,A Woman Under the Influence earned her an acting Golden Globe.
She also starred in Woody Allen's film Another Woman (1988), where she played the philosophy professor Marion Post who becomes fascinated with a psychiatric patient named Hope.
