Gena Rowlands

Gena Rowlands' most remarkable performance is as the title character of 1974's A Woman Under the Influence. She had a long career of solid performances and she passed away a couple days ago at the age of 94. I only just recently watched her other most famous role, as the title character of Gloria (1980). Both Gloria and Woman Under the Influence were directed by her husband, John Cassavetes and both films adore her to the point of reverence. They're both flawed films but not through any fault of Rowlands'. The brassy dame she plays in Gloria is admirable even as Cassavetes frames her as more badass than she is; her character, Mabel, in Woman Under the Influence is credibly possessed of a mental disorder even as the flawed screenplay goes through contortions to make it clear. She also has great chemistry with co-star Peter Falk.

After being directed by her husband for so long, she worked for own kids as well, both directors Nick and Zoe Cassavetes, most notably with Nick for The Notebook and with Zoe for Broken English, starring Parker Posey. As much as she was a fascinating lead, she was always a good, solid supporting performer, too. She was a remarkable actress.