**Tippi Hedren** (born Nathalie Kay Hedren), an American actress and model, is primarily known for being one of the quintessential "Hitchcockian blondes." Discovered by director Alfred Hitchcock after a successful career in modeling, her cinematic rise was rapid but intensely linked to the master of suspense.

Hedren starred in two of Hitchcock's most iconic films: *The Birds* (1963) and *Marnie* (1964). In the former, she portrayed Melanie Daniels, an elegant socialite who finds herself confronting inexplicable and terrifying bird attacks. In *Marnie*, she brought to life a kleptomaniac and psychologically tormented thief.

Her acting style was characterized by cool sophistication, classic beauty, and the ability to convey a deep vulnerability and inner turmoil behind a sophisticated and composed facade. Although her post-Hitchcock career did not achieve the same resonance, these roles cemented her status as an icon of the psychological thriller.