Gena Rowlands was a retired American actress best known for her roles in the films of her actor-director husband John Cassavetes. They made ten films together, including A Woman Under the Influence co-starring Peter Falk. In 1975 she joined Falk in an episode of Columbo; appearing in Playback, she played Elizabeth Van Wick, the wheelchair-bound wife of the murderer played by Oskar Werner. She has won multiple awards and been nominated for an Oscar twice; she received an Honourary Oscar in 2015 for her contributions to film.
Rowlands died on August 14, 2024 from Alzheimer's disease. She was 94 years old.