Gena Rowlands, hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes, and who later charmed audiences in her son's tear-jerker The Notebook, has died. She was 94.

Rowlands' death was confirmed by representatives for her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes. He revealed earlier this year that his mother had Alzheimer’s disease.

Caspian Energy Media reports with reference to TMZ that Rowlands died Wednesday at her home in Indian Wells, California.