Gena Rowlands Stuns in Leopard Print Dress: She Is ‘Lady’ at 93 after Raising 3 Kids Following Husband’s Death

• Gena Rowland lost her husband, with whom she shared a beautiful love story.
• The couple welcomed three children during their marriage, and Rowland still spends much time with them.
• She married again over a decade after her first husband passed away.

American actress Gena Rowland is known for her roles in "A Woman Under the Influence," "Gloria," and even the world-famous "The Notebook." When she wasn't working in Hollywood, she was starting a family.

Rowland was born in Wisconsin on June 19, 1930. Her father was a banker, while her mother was an actress. Rowland decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.

At the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she met a classmate, John Cassavetes. They fell in love and then married in 1954. She then starred in his "A Woman Under the Influence" production in 1974, which gave her her first Oscar nomination.

Her second Oscar nomination came from her role in "Gloria" in 1980. Her role in 1988's "Another Woman" also earned her praise.

Almost two decades before she turned 90, she played the older version of Rachel McAdams' Allie Hamilton in 2004's "The Notebook." She was already older than most in Hollywood at this point, but she had a deep love for acting.

Rowlands said her desire to become an actress came from her love of reading books. The actress feels that acting is similar to reading a book. Rowlands found that as she read, she didn't have to live one life but could be many different people.

Cassavetes began doing independent movies and having his wife star in them. Rowlands said that they inevitably ran out of money from time to time and would then do other films to earn money to put into their movies.

Although she admitted it was a tricky life, she loved doing it and found it exciting because she was doing exactly what she wanted to do with the man she loved. She said that her son, who directed "The Notebook," leads in the same way as her late husband did.

While Rowlands and Cassavetes had a beautiful relationship, it was not always easy for them to live, work, and love together. Cassavetes talked about their relationship in the early 1970s, quipping:

"We keep learning how to play together so I can step on her toes gently, and she can step on mine, and we can make a lot of noise."

The pair partnered up for films many times during their marriage, with their last joint production being released in 1984. However, Rowlands was heartbroken when her beloved husband and occasional director died.

Cassavetes died five years after the couple worked together for the last time. In 1989, at 59, Cassavetes died due to complications caused by cirrhosis of the liver. He was survived by his then-wife, two daughters, and a son, who were by his side when he passed.

What Is Rowlands's Current Life with Her Three Children?

Before Cassavetes' untimely death, the couple welcomed three children. Their first child, Nick, arrived on May 21, 1959. Their daughter, Alexandra "Xan," came six years later on September 21, 1965, and the youngest, Zoe, joined them on June 29, 1970.

Each of the couple's children went into show business, following in their parent's footsteps. Rowlands even got to have her son direct her in 2004's "The Notebook," where she admitted she thought they might butt heads but found working with her son a pleasure.

Now, her children share snippets of her life on social media. Her son, Nick, in particular, has recently shared a few photos of his mother on his Instagram page, showing how she looks now and how they spend their time.

Over the weekend, Nick shared a photo of himself and his mother sitting on a sofa as he draped an arm over her shoulders and she held onto his hand. As Rowlands looked past the camera, Nick gazed at her.

In the photo, Rowlands wore a pearl Alice band and a leopard print top, and her red fingernails were perfectly offset by the ring that adorns the fourth finger on her left hand. Nick captioned the post: "Mama."

Fans were impressed by Rowlands' look, with one commenting that she even had her nails done. Another said they loved her and noted how beautiful she was even in her 90s.

Nick then shared another photo of himself and his mother on the same sofa, joined by two other women. One of the women kissed Rowlands on the cheek as the other rested her head on Nick's chest. This time, Nick captioned the post "Fam." Fans once again commented on what a "beautiful lady" she was.

Who Is Rowlands's Second Husband?

After losing her first husband, Rowlands waited years before finally falling in love and finding happiness again. In fact, she waited more than a decade before she would marry someone else.

When she got married again, it was to Robert Forrest, a retired businessman. The couple now live together in the Hollywood Hills in a comfortable home decorated with memorabilia from Rowlands's career and items that remind her of her first husband.

Forrest and Rowlands have filled their home with the laughter of their grandchildren, the pitter-patter of their large labradoodle's feet, and their shared love for one another during their retirement years.

Rowlands' last production was a feature in a 2021 documentary about Broadway, but she has not acted for some time, despite her love for the craft. Instead, she spends more time now at home and with her grandchildren.

Rowlands was honored with an honorary Academy Award in 2015 at the 7th Annual Governor's Awards ceremony. During her acceptance speech, she thanked her late husband for his contributions to her career. She is now rarely seen in public.

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