Gena Rowlands’ favourite actor of all time: “She’s one of a kind, the queen of them all”
There are times when an actor/director partnership works so well that it produces several of the greatest films of all time. Time and time again, Gena Rowlands went back to working with her husband, John Cassavetes, with the pair proving to be the ideal duo, creatively understanding each other and working perfectly to craft complex characters.
It would be a disservice to simply call Rowlands Cassavetes’ muse; while she certainly inspired him, she had a lot to answer for when it came to bringing his characters to life and making his films simply unforgettable. So many people have come to be inspired by her performances, especially her leading role in Cassavetes’ 1974 film A Woman Under the Influence, which Rowlands received an incredible amount of praise for.
Appearing alongside Peter Falk, the pair give memorable performances as a husband and wife, with Rowlands’ performance getting increasingly erratic. It cemented her as one of the greatest actors of her generation, something she also came to prove with other Cassavetes movies like Opening Night, Minnie and Moskowitz, Faces, Maria, and Love Streams.
Alongside further impressive performances in everything from Night on Earth to The Notebook, Rowlands firmly earned her place in the industry as acting royalty. However, she had begun acting back in the 1950s when she was in her 20s, and it was her interest in a certain classic star that helped to inspire her to greatness.
In an interview with Paul Freeman, she revealed: “I grew up watching Bette Davis films. I found her fascinating, and I didn’t know why. What made her different? As I grew older, I realised that she was one of the only actresses of that period – or any period, really – who was independent and who did what she wanted to do. She wasn’t just reacting to the male leads. I must have seen every performance she gave 20 times. I owe a debt of gratitude to her.”
The classic Hollywood star had quite the reputation for being a diva, but it was her determination that frightened many people. Rowlands was worried that working with her idol would shatter the illusion of her greatness, but she was in luck when she was cast alongside her in Strangers – The Story of Mother and Daughter.
“She was my absolute favourite,” she continued. “So when they asked me to do the show with her, I didn’t want to. I thought, ‘What if she turns out to be a pussycat? What if she’s really sweet?’ John said, ‘I wouldn’t worry about that.’ I did the show and she was no pussycat. She’s the real goods. She’s one of a kind, the queen of them all. We came to be great friends by the time it was over.”
Rowlands was relieved that she was able to successfully share the screen with Davis, who had risen to prominence in the 1930s and 1940s with roles in Jezebel, Now, Voyager, and Of Human Bondage, before eventually going on to find further acclaim with award-winning performances in All About Eve and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?.
