Helena Bonham Carter Actress Date of Birth: 26.05.1966 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Helena Bonham Carter

Helena Bonham Carter, a British actress of stage, film, television, and voice acting, is widely known and talked about. Paparazzi capture every detail of her extravagant outfits, journalists tastefully comment on her bold remarks, and audiences eagerly await her appearances on screen.

Helena Bonham Carter was born on May 26, 1966, into a family with connections to hereditary aristocracy, politics, and show business. Her great-grandfather was the Prime Minister of Britain, Lord Asquith, and her grandmother held the title of Baroness Lilian de Rothschild. Her first cousin once removed, Crispin Bonham Carter, is a well-known actor who appeared in the TV series "Pride and Prejudice".

In the family of banker Raymond Bonham Carter and Elena, née Propper de Callejón, three children were born: Edward and Thomas, the older sons, and Helena. When Helena was only five years old, her mother suffered a severe nervous breakdown. Recovery took three years, during which Helena herself became a psychotherapist. Another misfortune followed, this time with her father. An unsuccessful operation to remove a tumor in his ear led to a stroke, leaving Raymond Bonham Carter confined to a wheelchair. Helena attended Westminster School, but due to her father's condition, all three children interrupted their education to support their mother during this difficult time. However, the young girl did not give up on her dream of a creative career.

Helena made her first appearance on the movie screen at the age of five in an episode of a TV series. In 1979, she wrote a poem called "The Grapevine" and won a literary competition. All the prize money was spent on a portfolio, which helped her get cast in a soap commercial. At the age of thirteen, she played the legendary role of Juliet in a school radio play. After finishing school, Helena enrolled in the drama department of Cambridge University.

Her first film role in 1985 was a tremendous success. Trevor Nunn adapted the story of the legendary Lady Jane Grey, and Helena Bonham Carter was so convincing in her first major role that she immediately received an invitation from James Ivory to appear in the film "A Room with a View". In 1986, this film was nominated for an Oscar in two categories: "Best Director" and "Best Picture". In 1997, another film featuring Bonham Carter, "The Wings of the Dove", was nominated for an Oscar. Her roles as Ophelia in "Hamlet", Olivia in "Twelfth Night", and other historical heroines earned Helena the ironic reputation of the "queen of corsets", which sharply contrasted with her true habits.

Since her childhood, Helena has had a love for eccentric outfits, in which she was often mistaken for a vagrant and denied entry to expensive stores. This tradition of extravagance continued during the costume fittings for the film "Frankenstein's Bride" in 1994, where her combination of wool stockings, feathered hat, and incredible cigarettes led to a passionate affair with director Kenneth Branagh.

The film "Fight Club" in 1999 helped Helena break free from her costume actress image. Her character in the film made a huge impression on audiences and critics and inspired many girls to imitate her. Among her subsequent star roles are Mrs. Bucket in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005), the striking villainess Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter series (2007-2011). She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Mrs. Lovett in the film "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (2007).

Some notable films she appeared in include "Alice in Wonderland" (2010), "Great Expectations" (2012), and "The Lone Ranger" (2013). In 2011, Helena Bonham Carter was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the film "The King's Speech" and received a BAFTA award. In 2014, she is expected to appear on screen as the legendary Elizabeth Taylor.

Helena Bonham Carter's love life is discussed as much as her multi-layered outfits and disheveled hair. Despite her shocking manners and the fact that she lived with her parents until the age of thirty, she had close relationships with actors such as Kenneth Branagh, Rufus Sewell, Steve Martin, and others. Her scandalous five-year romance with director Kenneth Branagh ended in 2001 due to the filming of the movie "Planet of the Apes", which led to the eight-year engagement between director Tim Burton and his longtime partner being broken off for Helena. Their shared eccentricity may have been the connecting link that has kept them together for twelve years.

A year after meeting, the director and the actress bought two neighboring houses - one for each of them. When their son, Billy Raymond, was born in 2003, part of the wall between the houses was demolished to create a common entrance. Shortly after the birth of their child, Helena continued filming "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", and her on-screen partner and Burton's good friend Johnny Depp became the child's godfather.

In 2007, a daughter was born, who was not given a name for almost a year because Burton was very busy with filming. They named her Nellie (a variation of the traditional Bonham Carter family name Helena). Instead of the traditional engagement ring, Burton gave Helena four pairs of her favorite shoes - boots with thick soles.

In 2008, a tragedy occurred with Helena's cousin Fiona - her entire family died in a safari accident in South Africa, and Fiona herself suffered a broken collarbone. The actress immediately stopped filming "Terminator Salvation" to help her cousin, and shortly after this tragedy, she founded a foundation to help those suffering from muscular dystrophy.

Despite critical remarks about her appearance, Helena Bonham Carter was ranked ninth in Empire magazine's 2009 list of the sexiest movie stars, surpassing even the legendary Marilyn Monroe. The actress has developed her own collection of lingerie under the playful name "Pantaloonies", which features her beloved Victorian style. The funds raised from sales are donated to a charitable foundation that helps children and fights domestic violence.