Gena Rowlands was born on June 19, 1930 in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. She is an American actress who has twice been nominated for an Academy Award, and has won three Emmy Awards for her performances.

She made her Broadway debut in The Seven Year Itch when she was just 18 years old. She then went to Hollywood where she started out with regular roles in TV series such as 87th Precinct and Peyton Place, then achieved success in films, earning two Oscar nominations for her work in A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria.

She starred in A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Face of a Stranger (1991), The Betty Ford Story (1987), Hysterical Blindness (2002) and The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie (2003).

She also starred in The Notebook (2004) directed by her son, Nick Cassavetes.

She married director/screenwriter John Cassavetes in 1954, but was widowed when he died in 1989 of cirrhosis of the liver.

She lives in Los Angeles.

Filmography

• Persepolis (2007)
• What If God Were the Sun? (2007) (TV)
• Broken English (2007)
• "Numb3rs" (1 episode, 2006)
• Paris, je t'aime (2006)
• The Book of Joe (2005)
• The Skeleton Key (2005)
• The Notebook (2004)
• Taking Lives (2004)
• The Weekend (1999)
• Playing by Heart (1998)
• The Mighty (1998)
• Hope Floats (1998)
• Paulie (1998)
• She's So Lovely (1997)
• Unhook the Stars (1996)
• Anything for John (1995)
• The Neon Bible (1995)
• Something to Talk About (1995)
• Silent Cries (1993)
• Once Around (1991)
• Ted and Venus (1991)
• Night on Earth (1991)
• Another Woman (1988)
• Love Streams (1984)
• Tempest (1982)
• Gloria (1980)
• The Brink's Job (1978)
• Opening Night (1977)
• Two Minute Warning (1976)
• A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
• Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)
• Faces (1968)
• Intoccabili, Gli (1968)
• Tony Rome (1967)
• A Child Is Waiting (1963)
• The Spiral Road (1962)
• Lonely Are the Brave (1962)
• The High Cost of Loving (1958)

Awards

• Emmy Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie "Hysterical Blindness" 2003
• National Board of Review Career Achievement Award 1996
• Sundance Film Festival Piper-Heidsieck Award Tribute to Independent Vision 1994
• Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special "Face of a Stranger" 1991 - 92
• Golden Globe Award Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV "The Betty Ford Story" 1988
• Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special "The Betty Ford Story" 1986 - 87
• Berlin Film Festival Best Actress Award "Opening Night" 1978
• Golden Globe Award Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) "A Woman Under the Influence" 1974
• National Board of Review Award Best Actress "A Woman Under the Influence" 1974