# Nick Cassavetes

Nicholas David Rowland Cassavetes (born May 21, 1959) is an American actor, director, and writer. He has directed such films as She's So Lovely (1997), John Q. (2002), The Notebook (2004), Alpha Dog (2006), and My Sister's Keeper (2009). His acting credits include an uncredited role in Husbands (1970)—which was directed by his father, John Cassavetes—as well as roles in the films The Wraith (1986), Face/Off (1997), and Blow (2001).

## Early life and career

Cassavetes was born in New York City, the son of Greek-American actor and film director John Cassavetes and actress Gena Rowlands. As a child, he appeared in his father's film Husbands (1970). After spending so much of his youth surrounded by the film industry, Cassavetes initially decided he did not want to go into the field. He instead attended Syracuse University on a basketball scholarship, but after an injury effectively ended his athletic career, he decided to rethink his aspirations, ultimately deciding to attend his parents' alma mater, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.
He has appeared in the films Face/Off, The Wraith, Life, Class of 1999 II: The Substitute, Backstreet Dreams and The Astronaut's Wife, among others. He has directed several films, including John Q, Alpha Dog, She's So Lovely, Unhook the Stars, The Notebook, and My Sister's Keeper. He also adapted the screenplay for Blow and wrote the dialogue for the Justin Timberlake music video "What Goes Around... Comes Around".
Cassavetes finished in fifth place in the World Poker Tour Invitational Season 5, attempting a bluff. He also appeared on season 5 of The Game Show Network's High Stakes Poker.
He also has played himself in the season 7 opener of Entourage on HBO and Tattoo Joe as a cameo in The Hangover: Part II, replacing Liam Neeson from the cast due to scheduling conflicts.

## Personal life

In 1985, Cassavetes married Isabelle Rafalovich. They had two daughters together before divorcing. Their daughter Sasha was born with a heart defect and underwent substantial surgery; Cassavetes' film John Q. was dedicated to Sasha, and his later adaptation of My Sister's Keeper was based in part on Sasha's medical experience.
Cassavetes later married Heather "Queenie" Wahlquist, and they have a daughter together. Wahlquist has appeared in several of his films, including a small role in The Notebook as Sara, a secondary character and best friend to the female lead Allie Hamilton, portrayed by Rachel McAdams. Cassavetes' mother, Gena Rowlands, appears as the older, married Allie (Hamilton) Calhoun.

## Filmography
### Actor
#### Film

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1970 | Husbands | Nick | Uncredited |
| 1985 | Mask | T.J. | |
| 1986 | The Wraith | Packard Walsh | |
| 1986 | Black Moon Rising | Luis | |
| 1986 | Quiet Cool | Valence | |
| 1988 | Under the Gun | Tony Braxton | |
| 1988 | Assault of the Killer Bimbos | Wayne-O | |
| 1989 | Blind Fury | Lyle Pike | |
| 1990 | Backstreet Dreams | Mikey | |
| 1991 | Delta Force 3: The Killing Game | Charlie | Direct-to-DVD |
| 1992 | Twogether | Wolfgang Amadeus "John" Madler | |
| 1993 | Sins of Desire | Barry Mitchum | |
| 1993 | Sins of the Night | Jack Neitsche | |
| 1993 | Broken Trust | Alan Brogan | |
| 1994 | Class of 1999 II: The Substitute | Emmett Grazer | |
| 1994 | Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle | Robert Sherwood | |
| 1996 | Black Rose of Harlem | Johnny | |
| 1997 | Face/Off | Dietrich Hassler | |
| 1997 | Farticus | Adonis Papadapadopounopoulopoulos | |
| 1999 | Life | Sergeant Dillard | |
| 1999 | The Astronaut's Wife | Capt. Alex Streck | |
| 2001 | Blow | Man in Derek's Salon | Uncredited |
| 2011 | The Hangover Part II | Tattoo Joe | |
| 2013 | Love and Skin | Uncle Nicky | Short film |
| 2021 | Prisoners of the Ghostland | Psycho | |
| 2021 | Queenpins | Captain Pain | |

#### Television

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1980 | Reunion | Steve Cowan | TV movie |
| 1987 | Matlock | Foley | Episode: "The Convict" |
| 1987 | L.A. Law | Richard Bertrand | Episode: "Sparky Brackman R.I.P. ????-1987" |
| 1988 | Shooter | Tex | TV movie |
| 1989 | Quantum Leap | Primo La Palma | Episode: "Double Identity - November 8, 1965" |
| 1990 | The Marshall Chronicles | Gus | Episode: "Do the Write Thing" |
| 2010 | Entourage | Nick Cassavetes | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Tales | Rodney King | Episode: "F*ck the Police" |

### Production

| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
| 1996 | Unhook the Stars | Yes | Yes | Directorial debut |
| 1997 | She's So Lovely | Yes | No | |
| 2001 | Blow | No | Yes | Co-writer with David McKenna; directed by Ted Demme |
| 2002 | John Q. | Yes | No | Also songwriter: "The Voice Inside My Heart" |
| 2004 | The Notebook | Yes | No | |
| 2006 | Alpha Dog | Yes | Yes | Also soundtrack producer and songwriter: "At The Site/Driving To The Site" |
| 2009 | My Sister's Keeper | Yes | Yes | Co-writer with Jeremy Leven |
| 2012 | Yellow | Yes | Yes | Co-writer with Heather Wahlquist |
| 2014 | The Other Woman | Yes | No | |
| 2023 | God Is a Bullet | Yes | Yes | |
| 2025 | Marked Men: Rule + Shaw | Yes | No |