Tippi Hedren turns 96 as three generations of leading ladies celebrate a legacy that began when Alfred Hitchcock discovered the former model and cast her in The Birds.
At a Glance
- Tippi Hedren launched from model to Hitchcock muse in 1963
- Daughter Melanie Griffith became an Oscar-nominated star
- Granddaughter Dakota Johnson now headlines global blockbusters
- Why it matters: The family proves Hollywood stardom can be inherited and sustained across decades
Hedren’s path to fame started in fashion before Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller catapulted her into cinema history. She followed with Marnie, Through the Eyes of a Killer, and Pacific Heights, cementing a résumé that would inspire her descendants.
From Hitchcock to Hollywood Heirloom
In 1957 Hedren and then-husband Peter Griffith welcomed Melanie, who absorbed the spotlight from infancy. By the 1970s Melanie Griffith was partying at industry events with then-boyfriend Don Johnson, photographed alongside her mother at a 1973 soirée. The couple married in January 1976, divorced six months later, reconciled in 1989, welcomed Dakota, and split again in 1994.
Melanie’s own filmography-Joy Ride, Paradise, Mulholland Falls-earned awards buzz and mirrored her mother’s tenacity. Their bond surfaced repeatedly: twinning in black coats at a 1979 Beverly Hilton benefit, backstage smiles during 1985 filming of Alfred Hitchcock Presents: A Man From the South, and coordinated outfits at the 1994 Artists for Shambhala Animal Preservation Benefit.
Third Generation Takes the Stage
Dakota Johnson arrived in 1989, the product of Melanie and Don’s second union. She grew up on sets and red carpets, escorting her grandmother to the 2018 Suspiria premiere and supporting her at industry galas. Stella Banderas, Melanie’s daughter with Antonio Banderas, rounds out the clan, appearing alongside Dakota, Melanie, and Tippi at the 2003 Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony honoring Hedren.
The family tableau repeated at public events:
- 2010 Genesis Awards: Melanie presented Hedren with the Lifetime Achievement honor
- 2012 FOX Fall Eco-Casino Party: Cameras captured the inseparable mother-daughter duo
- 2015 ELLE Women in Hollywood Awards: Dakota, Stella, Melanie, and Tippi posed together
Lions, Birthdays, and Legacy Moments
A 1982 London Zoo photo-op to promote Roar showed young Melanie perched beside lions under her mother’s watch, an image that foreshadowed the fearlessness each generation would bring to the screen. Decades later the family gathered for Hedren’s 75th birthday gala, a private affair that underscored their tight-knit dynamic despite tabloid headlines.
Even as Dakota headlines the Fifty Shades franchise and independent dramas, she continues to escort her grandmother to premieres, maintaining the public lineage Hitchcock inadvertently launched when he plucked a model from obscurity.
Key Takeaways
- Hitchcock’s 1963 discovery created a dynasty spanning film, awards shows, and global box office
- Three generations have sustained fame for more than six decades
- Public appearances-from 1966 children’s parties to 2018 premieres-document an unbroken Hollywood bloodline
- Each woman carved distinct niches while reinforcing the family brand
As Sophia A. Reynolds reported for News Of Los Angeles, the images of blonde hair, shared smiles, and premieres past form a living scrapbook of American cinema royalty, with Hedren’s 96th birthday serving as the latest chapter in an ongoing saga of stardom passed from grandmother to daughter to granddaughter.
