The New York Times Magazine (2012) - A Muse's Revenge
Details
- magazine article: A Muse's Revenge
- author(s): Andrew Goldman
- journal: The New York Times Magazine (07/Oct/2012)
- issue: page 12
- journal ISSN: 0028-7822
- publisher: New York Times Company
- keywords: Actors, Actresses, Alfred Hitchcock, Alma Reville, Donald Spoto, Filming, Interviews, Marnie (1964), Motion picture directors & producers, Motion pictures, Sexual harassment, The Birds (1963), Tippi Hedren
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Abstract
Goldman interviews Tippi Hedren, an actress who stars Alfred Hitchcock's films, The Birds and Marnie. The actress talks about escaping Hitchcock and other dangerous beasts.
Article
Tippi Hedren on escaping Alfred Hitchcock and other dangerous beasts.
The new HBO movie "The Girl" depicts your relationship with Alfred Hitchcock, who, after giving you your first movie role in "The Birds," plants an unwanted kiss on you, tries to blackmail you for sex and stalks you. Why would he do these things? He was a misogynist. That man was physically so unattractive. I think to have a mind that thought of himself as an attractive, romantic man and then to wake up in the morning and look at that face and that body was tough. I think he had a whole lot of problems.
The film made me ponder the expression "Revenge is a dish best served cold." Is there any satisfaction in exacting revenge on a man who has been dead 32 years? Well, I don't know that I've gotten any revenge on him. Maybe this movie is a bit. But I'm not the first one this happened to. Other actresses never made any overt statements about it. What he did with his life is astounding. There is no one in this world that did films like he did. Nobody.
The worst abuse happened after you rebuffed his advances. Actors have been known to sleep with less powerful directors for advancement in show business. Did you ever consider it? I have a strong Lutheran background, and my parents instilled in me strong morals. This was something I could never have done. I was not interested in him that way at all. I was fortunate enough to work with him, and as far as I was concerned, he ruined everything.
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