Before gracing us with her royal presence as Princess Margaret in “The Crown,” or Eudoria Holmes in “Enola Holmes,” Helena Bonham Carter’s filmography was quite limited.
From being in a little-known musical to an obscure book adaptation, she has literally done it all. From the Oscar-nominated performances that critics love to cult classics that us nerds obsess over. And to top it all off, she even played a monkey.
Helena Bonham Carter’s Early Acting Journey
Growing up in London and with her great-grandfather (H.H Asquith) having literally been the Prime Minister, Bonham Carter is as British as it gets.
Her first break came in 1983 with a TV movie, “A Pattern of Roses,” (1983) where she played Nettie, the privileged niece of a vicar. The film follows the story of a teenager who investigates rumors of a ghost in his cottage.
Arguably, her breakthrough performance came in the Oscar-nominated 1985 movie, “A Room With a View,” where she starred alongside Judi Dench, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Maggie Smith. Helena played the leading role of heroine Lucy Honeychurch, a young Edwardian socialite torn between two lovers.
Helena’s Career Evolution
She soon became known for her English Rose looks and appeared in a number of period roles, like Ophelia in “Hamlet” and Helen Schlegel in “Howards End.”
But in a bid to shake off the corset typecast, Helena pushed to take on more eccentric roles, such as Marina Oswald in “Fatal Deception: MRS. Lee Harvey Oswald,”(1993) Elizabeth in “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,”(1994) and the high-strung wife, Amanda, in Woody Allen’s “Mighty Aphrodite” (1995.)
In her own words, Helena once remarked,
“I like to play characters that are different from the usual. The more eccentric, the better!” This spirit is evident in her diverse roles.
Helena’s Oscar Nomination and Beyond
All this hard work had not gone unnoticed, and Helena received her first Oscar nomination for her role of Kate in “The Wings of The Dove” (1997). The story of an impoverished woman forced to choose between her life of privilege or a journalist lover.
Having perfected the art of the period piece, Helena decided to move on to some more contemporary roles, including Jane Hatchet in “The Theory of Flights” (1998). The movie was about a paraplegic looking to lose her virginity before she dies. Helena starred alongside her van partner Kenneth Branagh and claims to have drawn upon the experiences of her father, who was wheelchair-bound for years.
Helena Bonham Carter in “Fight Club”
Now for the moment that every film buff has been waiting for, “Fight Club” (1999) Carter played the now iconic role of Marla Singer and eccentric support group addicts.
She played girlfriend to both Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. To ensure that her character’s messy look felt authentic, she insisted her makeup artist apply her makeup using only her left hand.
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Helena’s Quirky Roles and Collaborations
In 2001, while working on “Novocaine,” Helena continued the bad girl theme with the role of Susan, a sexy patient who seduces her dentist, Steve Martin, before stealing all the drugs from his practice.
In the same year, Bonham Carter met her longtime partner and collaborator, Tim Burton, on the set of “Planet of the Apes” (2001), where she played the role of an ape, Ari, and went through over four hours of makeup a day to achieve the look.
This collaboration with Tim Burton continued in the coming years with the 2003 film “Big Fish,” where she played the roles of both Jenny and the witch. She also appeared in his adaptation of “Charlie & The Chocolate Factory” (2005) as Charlie’s mother, Mrs. Bucket.
In “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (2007), Helena’s portrayal of Mrs. Lovett earned acclaim for its dark humor and nuance. Burton described her role as
“brilliantly macabre, with a touch of her signature eccentricity.”
In 2005, she played a woman in the romantic comedy “Conversations With Other Women.” She also lent her voice to both “The Corpse Bride” and “Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.”
Helena in the Wizarding World
No British actor’s career could be complete without a role in Harry Potter. In 2007, Helena Bonham Carter nabbed the part of the absolutely terrifying Bellatrix Lestrange. When describing the character in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she stated:
“She’s obviously, as bonkers as they come. There’s a bit of child-like madness there… you know, like boys who like to pick apart an insect for the sake of it?”
Since she captured Bellatrix’s crazy character so well, it was only natural that she’d do it again in Tim Burton’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” as Mrs. Lovett. She played the role of a baker with some gritty ingredient choices for her pies.
Helena’s Journey From Wonderland to Suffragettes
If one Oscar nomination wasn’t enough, Helena struck gold for the second time with her performance as Queen Elizabeth alongside stammering Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech” (2010)
2012 proved to be another killer year for Helena. She starred in three more hits. There was “Dark Shadows” (2012) her seventh Tim Burton film, where she played the quirky psychiatrist, Julia Hoffman. Then “Great Expectations” (2012) where she took on the iconic role of Miss Havisham.
And last, but certainly not least, the award-winning “Les Misérables” (2012) where she showed off her singing ability once more as the evil Innkeeper Madame Thénardier. In order to perfect the role, she even learned to pickpocket.
Continued Success and New Adventures
Next in line for Helena was the role of Red Harrington, the one-legged brothel owner in Disney’s “The Lone Ranger.” And a few years later, she returned as the Fairy Godmother in 2015’s live-action remake of “Cinderella.”
In the same year, Helena also took on the important role of Edith New in 20th Century’s “Suffragette.” The film was based on the true story of the women who fought for their right to vote in 1912.
More girl power to come, in 2018 she was part of the all-female reboot of the Oceans franchise, “Ocean’s 8”. In the film, Helena portrayed Rose Weil, a fashion designer and integral member of the heist team. Her magnetic performance added a touch of charm and complexity to the character, contributing to the film’s success.
Just when you thought Helena Bonham had done it all, she then went on to be in the new “Call of Duty: Black Ops 4” video game, where she played a zombie-fighting fortune-teller. Yep, it’s a bit of a wild card.
The Reign of Helena Bonham Carter
This takes us up to 2019, Helena Bonham Carter has ventured into various genres and mediums, leaving a lasting impression on audiences. One notable recent project is “The Crown” (2019-2020), a critically acclaimed Netflix series in which she portrayed the enigmatic and complex character of Princess Margaret. While on The Graham Norton Show – BBC Helena Bonham talked about her role in the Crown.
In the same year, Helena’s dedication to her craft also led her to join the fantasy world of “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance“, a visually stunning and beloved Netflix series. She lent her voice to the character of Maudra Mayrin, a powerful leader in the Gelfling community. Her voice acting prowess brought the character to life, immersing viewers in the enchanting world of Thra.
In 2020, we saw her in “Enola Holmes.” a Netflix film based on the popular book series by Nancy Springer. In the movie, Helena portrays Eudoria Holmes, the unconventional mother of Sherlock Holmes and Enola Holmes, played by Millie Bobby Brown. This intriguing mystery adventure promises to showcase Helena’s ability to bring depth and complexity to her characters.
Continued Ventures and Upcoming Projects
Helena Bonham Carter’s illustrious career continues to flourish, with several exciting projects under her belt and more on the horizon. Let’s delve into some of her recent endeavors and upcoming works that showcase her incredible talent and versatility.
In 2023, Helena took on the role of Noele Gordon in a mini television series “Nolly,”. The drama is inspired by the late Noele Gordon, starring in the British soap Crossroads. He was also seen as Bibi Winton in James Hawes “One Life,” a docudrama biography.
As of 2024, we have four of Helena’s projects that are yet in production. “A Land of Sometimes,” where we listen to her voice as Little Twink. Her other projects include, “The Offing,” “Four Letter to Love,” “Enola Homes 3,” “The Well of Saint Body,” and TV series called “The Seven Dials Mystery.”
While we eagerly await the release of these upcoming projects, Helena Bonham Carter continues to captivate audiences with her remarkable talent and commitment to her craft. Her ability to transition between diverse roles, from period dramas to dark comedies, showcases her versatility as an actress.
