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Hollywood legend Tippi Hedren, 96, makes rare appearance for birthday celebration with family
By Lori Bashian
Published January 25, 2026
Tippi Hedren was seen recently outside daughter Melanie Griffith's house, marking a rare sighting of the legendary Hollywood actress.
Hedren was photographed arriving at her 96th birthday celebration at Griffith's Los Angeles home, being helped up the stairs outside the residence.
Upon arrival, she wore a floral blazer over a purple shirt, but changed into a patterned sweater on the way out, when she could be seen being led down a set of stairs by a man, assumed to be her grandson, Alexander Bauer.
Tippi Hedren marked her 96th birthday with an intimate family celebration at daughter Melanie Griffith’s Los Angeles home. (Backgrid)
The rare sighting comes two years after reports surfaced that the "Roar" actress was reportedly diagnosed with dementia. She was previously seen in a birthday post shared by Griffith on Instagram in January 2025, and Griffith's own birthday party in August.
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According to the Daily Mail, Spanish journalist Gustavo Egusquiza discovered Hedren's diagnosis after he reached out for an interview and her representatives told him that wouldn't be possible.
"She has dementia, and is unable to remember her career at all," Egusquiza was reportedly told. "She just turned 94, so unfortunately, time has taken its toll."
Hedren was discovered by Alfred Hitchcock and cast in the 1963 movie "The Birds." (Universal Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
Hedren had her big break in the business when Alfred Hitchcock cast her in his 1963 horror classic "The Birds," which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for most promising newcomer.
She went on to collaborate with the famed director again for the 1964 movie, "Marnie," but famously had a strained relationship with him. During an interview with Fox News in January 2017, Hedren said he quickly placed her under contract after discovering her, and threatened to ruin her career when she wanted out of it.
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Hedren claimed that Hitchcock ruined her acting career. (Universal Studios/Getty Images)
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"He said, 'I’ll ruin your career.' And he did," she said. "He kept me under contract and wouldn’t let me work. It was just one of those Hollywood nightmares … It was just so unnecessary. That’s what was so awful about this. It was just … just a sad situation. Just sad. But anyway — life goes on!"
Despite her struggles with Hitchcock, Hedren went on to have a successful acting career, starring in movies such as "A Countess from Hong Kong," "Foxfire" and "Pacific Heights," and even started her own acting dynasty.
Her daughter began acting at a young age, with her first major role being in the 1975 movie "Night Moves" at 17 years old, later starring in "Something Wild" and "Working Girl," which earned her an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe win.
Hedren's granddaughter, Dakota Johnson, the daughter of Griffith and her ex-husband, actor Don Johnson, also entered the family business. She made a name for herself starring as Anastasia Steele in the "Fifty Shades of Grey" trilogy, and most recently starred in "Materialists."
Hedren is the mother of Melanie Griffith and the grandmother of Dakota Johnson. (Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for ELLE)
When it comes to giving her daughter and granddaughter advice on how to navigate the industry, Hedren said, "I never have done that with Melanie or Dakota."
"I prefer to watch them and see their careers grow instead," she said. "Dakota is an incredibly wonderful woman and I adore her. We always have a wonderful time together. But as far as giving any tips or sitting them down and becoming the teacher — I don’t do that."
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