In the late 1990s, Helena Bonham Carter seemed poised to embark on the next phase of her career, moving from capable actress to compelling star. Audiences and critics had long been enchanted by her delicate beauty, evocative of another time and place; in 1997, she showed that she was more than a pretty face and a skilled line-reader, with her performance in "The Wings of the Dove," for which she received a Best Actress Oscar nomination.
Born in Golders Green, London, on May 26, 1966, Bonham Carter achieved early success in films. In the first part of her career, she became a staple in what can be seen as an offshoot of the British Heritage industry, starring in well-received adaptations of British or Anglo-American novels.
At 19, she scored her
first lead, in director James Ivory's
tasteful adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel "A Room With a View"
(1985), only her second film. She followed this with a strong
performance as the uncrowned Queen of England in "Lady Jane."
She appeared in three other productions under the Merchant-Ivory banner (director Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant, and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala; "Howards End" (1992) was the last film she made with them. Some have suggested that her success in those period pieces was partly the result of her pedigreed background: She is descended from British Prime Minister H.H. Asquith.
Although Bonham Carter hasn't catapulted
to superstardom, she has given many memorable performances, most of
which have taken her far from her Merchant-Ivory roots, such as Marla in
"Fight Club," or have expanded on them tremendously (for example, in
"Wings," she appears what is arguably the most explicit nude scene ever
shared by an Oscar-nominated actress). Bonham Carter has proved herself
to be a gifted and imaginative actress. - IMDb Mini Biography By:
h7
Born in Golders Green, London, on May 26, 1966, Bonham Carter achieved early success in films. In the first part of her career, she became a staple in what can be seen as an offshoot of the British Heritage industry, starring in well-received adaptations of British or Anglo-American novels.
She appeared in three other productions under the Merchant-Ivory banner (director Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant, and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala; "Howards End" (1992) was the last film she made with them. Some have suggested that her success in those period pieces was partly the result of her pedigreed background: She is descended from British Prime Minister H.H. Asquith.
Trade Mark
Often plays eccentric characters
Often plays pre-20th century characters
Curvaceous, buxom figure
Wild messy hair and dark makeup
Unique offbeat style of dress with lots of black clothing
Trivia
(1994 - September 1999) Lived with Kenneth Branagh.
Carter is descended from a very distinguished family. She is the great-granddaughter of H.H. Asquith, British Prime Minister (1908-1916) and her great-grandmother is Violet Bonham Carter, a British activist who was, at one time, engaged to one of her father's protégées, Winston Churchill.
When Churchill decided to marry his ultimate wife Clemintine, Violet
was involved in a fall off a cliff, the circumstances of which have been
questioned for a century. However, she did survive and went on to a
distinguished political career, including advisor to Churchill.
Carter
is also the grand-niece of distinguished British director Anthony Asquith.
She is a first cousin of Baroness Jane Bonham-Carter, and only a distant cousin of Crispin Bonham-Carter:
Crispin's father, Peter Malcolm Bonham-Carter, is a third cousin of
Helena Bonham Carter.
The first ancestors that Crispin and Helena have
in common, are John Bonham-Carter (1788-1838) and his wife Joanna Maria
Smith (1791-1884).
Her father was severely paralyzed by botched brain surgery in the 1980s.
Speaks French fluently.
Planned to return to the West End with an appearance in
"Rubenstein's Kiss"; however, the play was delayed because of her busy
schedule.
The production, also set to star Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet fame, was due to open in November 2004 but has now been postponed.
In 2005, her voice appeared in two stop-motion animated films. They were La novia cadáver (2005) and Wallace & Gromit. La maldición de las verduras
(2005). Both films were nominated for the Academy award for best
animated film. The award went to Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of
the Were-Rabbit.
Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006.
Turned down the role of Bess in Rompiendo las olas (1996) due to the sexual content. The role went to Emily Watson who was nominated for an Oscar for that role.
Her brother Edward is married to TV presenter Victoria Studd.
Is close friends with Johnny Depp, who often works with her fiancé, Tim Burton. In fact, Depp is the godfather of her child with Burton, Billy Ray.
Was cast as Bellatrix Lestrange after Helen McCrory became pregnant, and would have been nearly full-term when her scenes were shot. She returned to the role for one scene in Harry Potter y el misterio del príncipe
(2009), opposite McCrory as her sister Narcissa Malfoy. Ironically,
Carter was able to be in this scene because it was scheduled to be
filmed after she gave birth to her own child.
Given indefinite leave from the set of Terminator Salvation in New
Mexico after her relatives were on a South African safari holiday on
Wednesday, 20 August, 2008, when the minibus they were travelling in
spun out of control and flipped after a tyre burst. Helena's cousin,
Fiona Bonham Carter, 51, escaped with a broken shoulder but Fiona's son
Marcus Egerton-Warburton, 14; mother Brenda, 74; stepfather Francis
Kirkwood, 75; and sister-in-law Kay Boardman, 54, all died.
She based her performance of Marla Singer in El club de la lucha (1999) on Judy Garland in the later stages of her life. To help her get into the mindset, director David Fincher would often call her Judy on-set.
A fight between her and Gary Oldman in Harry Potter y la orden del Fénix (2007) was cut from the final film. She had been training for three weeks for the fight.
Describes her character in the Harry Potter films, Bellatrix
Lestrange, as a sadist and a racist, obsessed with blood purity.
Underwent extensive vocal lessons and studied baking in preparation for her role in Sweeney Todd, el barbero diabólico de la calle Fleet (2007).
Was originally going to appear as a cyborg in Terminator Salvation
(2009) which would match her former choices of eccentric characters.
However, the script was leaked online and her character got rewritten
and her screen time significantly cut down, and her character changed.
Returned to work eight months after giving birth to her son Billy Ray in order to begin filming Charlie y la fábrica de chocolate (2005).
Became romantically involved with her director Tim Burton after their El planeta de los simios
(2001) wrapped. Instead of moving in with her in her Hampstead home in
London, Burton bought two next-door houses which the couple both share
today (2010).
In 2009, The Times named her one of the Top 10 British Actresses of all-time.
Close friends with Liberal Democrat leader and politician Nick Clegg since their days at Westminster School, London, England.
Was two months pregnant with her daughter Nell when she completed filming on Sweeney Todd, el barbero diabólico de la calle Fleet (2007).
Was a potential candidate for the role of Sarah in Labyrinth (1986) before the role went to Jennifer Connelly.
Became the fifth actor to appear in 2 films to gross $1 billion
with Alice in Wonderland (2010), and Harry Potter and The Deathly
Hallows Part 2 (2011). She is the first woman to achieve this feat.
Gave birth to her first child at age 37, a son Billy Raymond Burton on October 4, 2003. Child's father is her boyfriend, Tim Burton.
Gave birth to her second child at age 41, a daughter Nell Burton on December 15, 2007. Child's father is her boyfriend, Tim Burton.
She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British
Empire) in the 2012 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to
drama.
She lived with her parents in the family home until her early
thirties. She claimed it was simply because she had a very good
relationship with them.
She and her partner Tim Burton
were amazed at the ability for football their son Billy displayed at a
very young age as neither of them is particularly athletic.
She has played two Tudor queens who were decapitated for treason.
Lady Jane Grey in Trevor Nunn's film about the tragic nine day queen,
"Lady Jane" and later Anne Boleyn, in the TV production of "Henry VIII"
in 2003.
Hampstead, London, England [December 2011]
Attended school at Westminster.
Personal Quotes
I hate this image of me as a prim Edwardian. I want to shock everyone.
I should get a few ribs taken out, because I'll be in a corset for the rest of my life.
[on breast-feeding her baby]: People say, "You're still
breast-feeding, that's so generous". Generous, no! It gives me boobs and
it takes my thighs away! It's sort of like natural liposuction. I'd
carry on breast-feeding for the rest of my life if I could.
I'm drawn to emotionally damaged characters because there is more to unlock.
[on being awarded the CBE] I am thrilled though not sure that I
deserve it. I always thought my father deserved a medal for facing 25
years of chronic disability with quiet daily heroism so I am delighted
to accept such a wonderful honor in his memory.
We were terrified and both thought it could be a stupid
decision. Bit it was really fun. She still hasn't gone. The voice comes
back and it drives my family up the wall. It's the drawwwwwl. Sometimes
I'm like, 'Am I channeling Elizabeth or Rufus Wainwright?'
Very early on you figure out that you put your self-esteem in the
hands of strangers. There's a different commodity. There's the Helena
Bonham Carter that everyone thinks they know, who really has nothing to
do with me. But you just have to let that go.
(Gifs and photos: source_Tumblr and google)
