‘The Birds’ star Tippi Hedren says Alfred Hitchcock ‘ruined’ her career: He had ‘a dark side’

When Alfred Hitchock first saw Nathalie Hedren in a 1961 commercial for a diet drink named Sego, he immediately felt the young model could be the next Grace Kelly.

The budding starlet, now known as Tippi Hedren, was offered a seven-year contract by the famous director. But despite making her film debut in 1963’s “The Birds,” her relationship with Hitchcock soured.

“I never wanted to be an actress,” the 91-year-old recently told Closer Weekly. “I was lucky he saw the commercial. He had a lot to do with shaping my career, and having him as my drama coach was perfect.”

Hedren claimed that Hitchcock became controlling as he groomed her to be a star. She described how despite being a celebrated “artist,” Hitchcock also had a “dark side that was really awful.”

DAKOTA JOHNSON SAYS ALFRED HITCHCOCK ‘TERRORIZED’ GRANDMOTHER TIPPI HEDREN: HE ‘RUINED HER CAREER’

“Every time I’d be talking with a male member of the cast or crew, my next exchange with Hitchcock would be icy,” recalled the actress.

“If he was talking to a group of people on the other side of the soundstage, his eyes would be fixed on me,” she added.

According to the outlet, Hitchcock’s behavior toward Hedren worsened. He allegedly had Hedren followed, drove past her house and at one point lunged to kiss her in a limousine, causing her to flee.

After 1964’s “Marnie,” Hedren refused to work with Hitchcock again, the outlet shared. As punishment, he held her to their contract, which prevented her from working with anyone else for two years.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

British director Alfred Hitchcock directs American actress Tippi Hedren while she sits in front of a typewriter on the set of his film “Marnie.”
(Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

“He ruined my career, but he didn’t ruin my life,” said Hedren.

But Hedren kept going as a passionate…