Representatives for the legendary Hollywood star Tippi Hedren, best known for starring in Alfred Hitchcock movies like The Birds and Marnie, have revealed today that she is battling dementia that has progressed to the point where she “can’t remember her career.”
Hedren Suffering From Dementia
Daily Mail reported that Spanish journalist Gustavo Egusquiza learned of Hedren’s condition after requesting an interview with the 94 year-old star, who is one of the last survivors of a bygone era of Hollywood. Hedren’s representatives responded by saying that the actress “is no longer able to be interviewed due to health reasons.”
“She has dementia, and is unable to remember her career at all,” they said. “She just turned 94, so unfortunately, time has taken its toll.”
“This is devastating news for Tippi Hedren’s fans worldwide,” Egusquiza reported afterwards. “Unfortunately, her agent confirmed to me that Tippi is dealing with dementia and is unable to remember her career. It is a difficult situation for her and her family.”
The World Health Organization states that 55 million people all over the world currently suffer from dementia, which is “the seventh leading cause of death and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally.”
Social Media Users Support Hedren
Social media users have been voicing their support for Hedren in the wake of this announcement.
“Dementia is so hard. My dad just passed away last October from it at 94. Compassion for her snd her family,” one user commented, with another adding, “Sorry to hear this. Nobody deserves Dementia.”
“Sadly, people with dementia are unable to ‘battle’ it. Let’s hope that changes one day. Tippi is simply fading away,” a third user wrote. A fourth person stated, “Dementia is a wretched awful disease.”
Others expressed memories of Hedren in fonder times.
“Standing behind Tippi Hedren at the Beverly Center in the late 90s is a memory I will never forget,” wrote one social media user. “Watching this beautiful star and her classy elegance as she shopped was surreal!”
Hedren’s 94th Birthday
Hedren celebrated her 94th birthday last month with her family, which includes her actress daughter Melanie Griffith of Working Girl fame and her actress granddaughter Dakota Johnson, who is arguably best known for starring in the 50 Shades Of Grey film series.
“It may not be exciting to the rest of the world, but as a mother and grandmother, it’s the perfect way to celebrate,” Hedren was quoted as telling People Magazine days before her January 19 birthday.
Griffith, 66, marked her mother’s birthday by sharing a rare photo of her to social media.
“Yesterday Mom aka MorMor turned 94,” Griffith wrote on Instagram “Always up for a party! Happy Birthday, mama.”
Check out the photo below.
Related: Bruce Willis Wife Admits Feeling ‘Sadness’ On His First Birthday Since Dementia Diagnosis
Hedren’s Trauma With Hitchcock
Though Hedren is most famous for her work in Hitchcock films, working with the famed director was a nightmarish experience for her. Donald Spoto’s 1983 book “The Dark Side of Genius” alleged that Hitchcock “advised her on what she should eat, whom she should see, and how she should live,” and Hedren’s The Birds co-star Rod Taylor claimed that “no one was permitted to come physically close to her during the production,” according to The New York Post.
In her 2016 memoir titled “Tippi,” Hedren claimed that she was sexually assaulted multiple times by Hitchcock, who died in 1980 at the age of 80. She alleged that he once asked her to “touch him” while they were working on The Birds, and that he would often have his driver drive past her home. Hedren also claimed that Hitchcock once tried to forcibly kiss her when they were riding in the back of a limousine.
“It was an awful, awful moment,” she wrote.
In a 2022 interview, Hedren’s granddaughter Dakota Johnson claimed that Hitchcock destroyed her grandmother’s career in Hollywood.
“She’s always been really honest and firm about standing up for yourself. That’s what she did,” Johnson said. “Hitchcock ruined her career because she didn’t want to sleep with him, and he terrorized her. He was never held accountable.”
Full Story: Alfred Hitchcock ‘Terrorized’ Tippi Hedren Claims Her Granddaughter Dakota Johnson – He ‘Ruined Her Career’
Dementia is a horrifying disease that affects far too many people all over the world. Please join us in saying a prayer for Hedren and her family during this difficult time.
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