Gena Rowlands
Gena Rowlands
Virginia Cathryn "Gena" Rowlandsis an American film, stage, and television actress, whose career in the entertainment industry has spanned over six decades. A four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner, she is known for her collaborations with her late actor-director husband John Cassavetes in ten films, including A Woman Under the Influenceand Gloria, which earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also won the Silver Bear for Best Actress for Opening Night. In November 2015, Rowlands...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actress
Date of Birth19 June 1930
CityMadison, WI
CountryUnited States of America
Gena Rowlands quotes about
It was when A Woman Under the Influence played at the New York Film Festival. It would be hard to top that. It was one of the most extraordinary nights of my life.
I think everybody has tried the Ouija board, ... I used to be into astrology and such, but then I got more fatalistic about things. I'd rather be surprised.
Getting a good role is hard for anyone.
I always felt her vulnerability. You could always see it, though she'd have killed you if you said so.
I like to think that Mrs. Asher is a lot stranger mother than I am. I hope that that's true. She's one of the strangest characters I've ever played.
Of course I would change anything if John Cassavetes said so - it's his script. But he was very easy about that.
John Cassavetes wrote A Woman Under the Influence as a play. He said, "Hey, I wrote you a play." And I said, "Great, let's read it." I read it and I said, "John, I couldn't do this every night and twice on Wednesday and Saturday".
It was a very hard play [Woman Under the Influence] to do every night. And John Cassavetes said, "Don't worry. Don't even think about it, you're right. I hadn't thought of that." He said, "Just forget it."
Of course, much easier to do a film when you're doing an extremely emotional part than it is doing it onstage over and over especially.
A Woman Under the Influence was my favorite. I loved doing that. And it was challenging.
He[John Cassavetes] was just being an actor. A very successful actor, especially in live TV. He did many wonderful performances.
[John Cassavetes] came backstage afterwards and introduced himself and we talked a bit, and then went for a little coffee at the Russian Tea Room next door. It just...started.
Never in my life have I ever even thought about anything else [ being anything other than an actress].
I loved Bette Davis when I was little and when I was big and when I got old.