Get our free weekly electronic mail for all the most recent cinematic information from our movie critic Clarisse LoughreyGet our The Life Cinematic electronic mail for freeThe Pocket book star Gena Rowlands has been residing with Alzheimer’s illness for the previous 5 years, her son, director and actor Nick Cassavetes, has mentioned.Rowlands, 94, starred because the older model of Rachel McAdams’s lead character, Allie, within the 2004 romantic drama – primarily based on the bestselling Nicholas Sparks novel. Allie finally ends up passing away on the finish of the film after growing Alzheimer’s. “I acquired my mother to play older Allie, and we spent plenty of time speaking about Alzheimer’s and desirous to be genuine with it, and now, for the final 5 years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” Cassavetes instructed Leisure Weekly. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so loopy – we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us,” The Pocket book director mentioned. Chatting with O Journal in a 2004 interview, Rowlands mentioned how her mom’s wrestle with the identical illness impacted her choice to take the function.“This final one – The Pocket book was significantly laborious as a result of I play a personality who has Alzheimer’s,” she mentioned on the time. “I went via that with my mom, and if Nick hadn’t directed the movie, I don’t suppose I’d have gone for it – it’s simply too laborious. It was a tricky however fantastic film.”The Pocket book, which was launched in 2004, starred McAdams and Ryan Gosling as Allie and Noah, two younger adults from very completely different socioeconomic backgrounds who fall in love in Nineteen Forties South Carolina. After Noah is drafted to serve in World Conflict II, Allie begins a romance with one other man. Nevertheless, when Noah returns residence, it turns into clear that his romance with Allie stays. Gena Rowlands starred because the older model of Allie in ‘The Pocket book’ (Getty Pictures)Rowlands, who’s retired from appearing, had an illustrious profession in movie, TV and theater. She earned two Oscar nominations for her breakout function within the 1974 drama Girl Below the Affect and 1980’s Gloria. She was married to filmmaker and actor John Cassavetes from 1954 up till his demise in 1989. In addition to Nick, they share two different youngsters: director and Damaged English actor Zoe Cassavetes and director and actor Alexandra “Xan” Cassavetes. Rowlands married retired businessman Robert Forrest, in 2012.Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 daysNew subscribers solely. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews till cancelledTry for freeWatch Apple TV+ free for 7 daysNew subscribers solely. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews till cancelledTry for freeRecalling a humorous reminiscence from working along with his mom on The Pocket book, Nick instructed EW about how, after seeing the ultimate minimize, studio executives requested Rowlands cry extra on the finish of the movie when her character lastly remembers who she is.“She mentioned, ‘Let me get this straight. We’re reshooting due to my efficiency?’” Nick recounted. “We go to reshoots, and now it’s a kind of issues the place mama’s pissed and I had requested her, ‘Are you able to do it, mother?’ She goes, ‘I can do something,’” he remembered, including: “I promise you, on my father’s life, that is true: Teardrops got here flying out of her eyes when she noticed [James Garner], and she or he burst into tears. And I used to be like, okay, effectively, we acquired that… It’s the one time I used to be in hassle on set.”