Tippi Hedren may best be remembered by her fans for her role in the Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Birds.
But to countless Vietnamese Americans, she is a dear friend and mentor.
Fox News reports Hedren received the Legacy of Style Award by Beauty Changes Lives and Creative Nail Design for her commitment and contributions to the professional nail industry.
It was 1975 when Hedren during her work as an international relief coordinator for Food for the Hungry visited with Vietnamese refugees in Sacramento. She employed her manicurists to work with the refugees to teach them the trade. She later would help them find jobs. Today Vietnamese Americans dominate the nail salon trade in the United States.
Vietnamese-American actress Kieu-Chinh told Fox News she first met Hedren when she came to Vietnam as part of a USO show. Then years later when Kieu-Chinh arrived in the United States as a Vietnamese refugee, she contacted Hedren for help.
“Tippi took me to her house. I lived with her and wore her clothes and ate her food; she drove me around and helped me get the paperwork I needed to stay in this country legally. She also enrolled me into the Screen Actors Guild and found me an agent at William Morris so that I could also work in Hollywood. I am now a US citizen,” Kieu-Chinh continued proudly. “I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you America and Americans for opening up their arms and hearts when we needed them the most.”
You can read more about Hedren’s contribution to the Vietnamese American community in Fox News.
