Tippi Hedren's Sad Last Days: How Acting Icon, 95, Is 'Feuding' With Daughter Melanie Griffith and Grandkid Dakota Johnson Over Her TIGERS
The actress wants her daughter Melanie Griffith and granddaughter Dakota Johnson to take care of her beloved tigers.
Feb. 5 2025, Published 5:45 p.m. ET
Tippi Hedren is desperately hoping her family will step up and take over her passion project.
The Hollywood icon marked her 95th birthday last month without receiving the present she most wanted from her acting nepo babies Melanie Griffith and Dakota Johnson – a vow to care for her beloved jungle cats, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 95-year-old actress developed a wild love for jungle cats years ago.
A source snitched Working Girl's Griffith, the legend's only child, and Fifty Shades of Grey starlet Johnson, the Hitchcock heroine's eldest granddaughter, have no interest in running Hedren's Shambala Preserve.
The Birds star developed a deep love for wild cats years ago, even letting a 400-pound lion roam freely in her home and sleep in bed with Griffith when she was a teenager.
Sources say Hedren's family members have no interest in running her Shambala Preserve.
In 1972, Hedren founded Shambala, a 70-acre sanctuary located about 40 miles from Los Angeles, dedicated to rescuing big cats that had been mistreated or abandoned.
She also resides on the property.
Griffith, 67, has served on the facility's board of directors, along with Loni Anderson, Lily Tomlin, and late Golden Girl Betty White.
A friend dished: "Tippi would love to leave Shambala to Melanie and Dakota in her will, but they just don't have the enthusiasm she has for it.
"They have professionals to run it, but Tippi believes if either Melanie or Dakota took over, their star power would keep donations and funding flowing in for its upkeep – just as Tippi has all these years.
"Tippi has been given a 'no' from them, but figures she may still have a few years to wear them down and get them to change their minds!"
Sources say Hedren suffers from dementia and is unable to remember most of her career.
Last year, Spanish journalist Gustavo Egusquiza opened up about the covergirl's condition, saying Hedren was "no longer able to be interviewed due to health reasons."
He explained: "She has dementia, and is unable to remember her career at all. She just turned 94, so unfortunately, time has taken its toll.
"This is devastating news for Tippi Hedren's fans worldwide. 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."
Just last week, Hedren made a rare appearance on Griffith's Instagram as her daughter commemorated her 95th birthday.
The post featured a video of Hedren waving to the camera and a photo of her blowing out her birthday cake.
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Griffith wrote: "My beautiful Mama turned 95 yesterday! She's happy, healthy and feisty!!"
Hedren started her illustrious career as a fashion model in New York City during the 1950s but gained global fame in the 1960s with her roles in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds and Marnie.
Hedren's daughter celebrated her mom's 95th birthday in an Instagram tribute last month.
Her performance in The Birds earned her the 1964 Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer.
In addition to her impressive film career spanning six decades, Hedren is also the matriarch of a large extended family.
She had her daughter Griffith in 1957 with her then-husband, advertising executive Peter Griffith, before they divorced four years later.
