Gena Rowlands

The illustrious Cassavetes family of the United States and Greece is a line of royalty within the film and television industry. The family patriarch, John Cassavetes, is considered a pioneering figure of independent American film, having funded many of his own works. Born in New York City in 1929, John was the son of Greek immigrants Nicholas and Katherine. After the family moved to Greece in the early 1930s, John returned to the US with them around 1936. His son, Nick Cassavetes, is a renowned actor and film director, having appeared in his father's films Husbands and A Woman Under the Influence. Nick's mother, Gena Rowlands, is a four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner, who has received an Honorary Academy Award. John and Gena's daughter, Zoe R. Cassavetes, is an acclaimed director and actress. Their son, Xan Cassavetes, is also a writer and director, and their daughter, Virginia Cassavetes, is a well-known actor and writer. The family is rounded out by the late Edwin Merwyn Rowlands, Gena's first husband and the father of David Rowlands, another celebrated actor. The Cassavetes family has made a powerful impact in the entertainment industry and their legacy continues to thrive.