10 Movie Roles That Traumatised Actors

Another actor held to the exacting standards of an intense director regarded as 'visionary', Tippi Hedren was repeatedly abused on and off set by Alfred Hitchcock after she rejected his romantic advances.

After spotting her on a TV commercial and signing her to his film, The Birds, Tippi Hedren was made a star by the rising cinematic force that was Hitchcock, but paid a steep price for it. She was the subject of crude sexual comments, and the director even went as far as to have her followed and her handwriting analysed. This dark obsession culminated with Hitchcock practically controlling her life.

Hedren's rejection sparked a cruelness from Hitchcock that was somewhat unexpected also, which peaked when she was forced to act out one of the bird attack scenes with real birds instead of the mechanical ones used in previous footage. Mentally and physically broken, she was made to rest for a week by medical professionals - much to Hitchcock's displeasure.

Stopping her from receiving both nominations and awards, halting potential filming jobs in their tracks, and ultimately controlling Hedren's career through her contractual obligations with him, Hitchcock ruined Hedren's Hollywood career before it had fully taken off.