Dakota Johnson says Alfred Hitchcock gave her mom Melanie Griffith a miniature of her grandmother in a coffin

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Dakota Johnson says Alfred Hitchcock gave her mom Melanie Griffith a miniature of her grandmother in a coffin
Dakota Johnson, her grandmother Tippi Hedren and Alfred Hitchcock.CBS Photo Archive / Tasia Wells Steve Granitz/Getty Images
  • Dakota Johnson said Alfred Hitchcock sent a "really scary" gift to her mother as a child.
  • Melanie Griffith received a miniature of her mom, Tippi Hedren, in a coffin, according to Johnson.
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Dakota Johnson said that renowned filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock once sent a miniature of her grandmother, Tippi Hedren, in a coffin to the "Fifty Shades of Grey" star's mother, Melanie Griffith.

Hedren was famously Hitchcock's muse, appearing in his films "The Birds" and "Marnie."

However, in her 2016 memoir "Tippi," Hedren wrote that the filmmaker terrorized her for years after she rejected his advances. She also accused Hitchcock of sexually assaulting her and ruining her career by stopping other filmmakers from hiring her.

During an interview with Vanity Fair, Johnson said that her mother, Griffith, received the creepy mini coffin as a Christmas gift from Hitchcock when she was just a child.

"It's alarming and dark and really, really sad for that little girl," Johnson said. "Really scary."

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Johnson added: "What happened with my grandmother was horrific because Hitchcock was a tyrant. He was talented and prolific — and important in terms of art — but power can poison people."

During the interview, Johnson also recalled attending a screening of the Emmy-nominated HBO movie "The Girl," which depicted Hitchcock's obsession with Hedren.

The actor said that neither she nor her grandmother, who attended the screening with Johnson, were warned about the movie's content.

Dakota Johnson says Alfred Hitchcock gave her mom Melanie Griffith a miniature of her grandmother in a coffin
Melanie Griffith and Dakota Johnson at the "Biutiful" premiere on December 14, 2010.Michael Buckner/Getty Images

"It was one of those moments where you're just like, 'How could you not have warned us?'" Johnson said. "We're in a room with some execs. Maybe this warranted a little conversation beforehand? You look over and you see a woman who's just been reminded of everything she went through, and it was heartbreaking. She was an amazing actress and he stopped her from having a career."

This is not the first time Johnson has spoken out about the famous filmmaker's obsession with her grandmother.

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Last year, Johnson told The Hollywood Reporter's "Awards Chatter" podcast that Hedren encouraged her and Griffith to stand up for themselves after her struggles with Hitchcock.

"She's always been really honest and firm about standing up for yourself. That's what she did," Johnson said. "Hitchcock ruined her career because she didn't want to sleep with him, and he terrorized her. He was never held accountable."

Johnson added: "It's hard to talk about because she's my grandmother. You don't want to imagine somebody taking advantage of your grandmother."

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