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Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May, 1966) is an English actress, known for playing Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Part 2. She replaced Helen McCrory, who was originally going to play the role but could not because of her pregnancy. Helen is now playing Narcissa Malfoy, Bellatrix's sister. Due to the similarity in appearance between Bellatrix and her sister Andromeda Tonks, fans of the series set up an online petition to have Helena play Andromeda in the film adaptations of Deathly Hallows. However, Andromeda was cut from the films.

She played Hermione disguised as Bellatrix in the Gringotts Break-in scene in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The voice for the transformed Bellatrix was done by Emma Watson.

Career

Bellatrix in Gringotts

Helena playing Hermione pretending to be Bellatrix during the Gringotts Break-in scene.

Bonham Carter has had no formal training in acting. She won a national writing contest in 1979 and used the money to pay for an entry into Spotlight, an actors' directory in England. She made her professional debut in a commercial at the age of 16 and also had a part in A Pattern of Roses, a minor television film. Her breakout performance was in the coveted role of Lucy Honeychurch in A Room With a View. After that, she found herself frequently typecast in ingenue characters in period flicks. She has since developed a richly diverse career in Hollywood, starring in films as varied as Fight Club, Conversations With Other Women, The Wings of the Dove (for which she was nominated for the Academy Award For Best Actress), Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland and Planet of the Apes. The latter three were directed by her partner Tim Burton. She was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film The King's Speech.

Comments on her character

Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange (Deathly Hallows)

Helena Bonham Carter on the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bonham Carter said the following about playing Bellatrix Lestrange: "She's obviously as bonkers as they come. There's a bit of a child-like madness there... You know how kids can be like savages before they get civilised? There's that sadist quality. Y'know, like boys who like to pick apart an insect for the sake of it... She's a sadist. She's very sick. She's got problems. I think she's been in prison a bit too long. But I suspect even before prison she had problems. She's a racist, obsessed with blood purity... And she's in love with Voldemort, really."[2]

Bonham Carter also had a role in determining Bellatrix's wardrobe for the film: "So I had the idea of the corset. She looks like a warrior. I mean, Bellatrix does mean warrior. And she's also a bit of a fatale. She's the right hand of Voldemort..."[3]

Bonham Carter also has invited Emma Watson to her own home to discuss the character Hermione Granger and her mind set as Bonham Carter wanted to portray Hermione true to how Emma does when she takes Polyjuice Potion in the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Hermione transforms into Bellatrix.

Personal life

Bonham Carter's domestic partner is director Tim Burton, with whom she has two children: Billy-Ray and Nell Burton. She was once involved with Kenneth Branagh, who portrayed Gilderoy Lockhart in the film version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and whom she met while he was still married to Emma Thompson, who plays Sybill Trelawney the Harry Potter films. Bonham Carter and Burton are good friends, and frequent colleagues, of actor Johnny Depp. Helena and Tim live in Belsize Park, London with their two kids in ajoining houses that connect through Helena's Drawing Room.

Select filmography

Year Film Role

Notes

2012

Les Misérables

Madame Thénardier
2011

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Bellatrix Lestrange/ Hermione Granger (as fake Bellatrix)
2010 Toast Joan Potter Broadcasting Press Guild Award Nomination for Best Actress
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Bellatrix Lestrange
The King's Speech Queen Elizabeth

Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actress

BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress

Golden Globe Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

British Independent Film Award

Alice in Wonderland Red Queen Directed by Tim Burton
2009 The Gruffalo Voice of Mother Squirrel

TV movie

For Enid -

BAFTA TV Award Nomination for Best Actress

Enid Enid Blyton
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Bellatrix Lestrange
Terminator Salvation Dr. Serena Kogan
2007 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Mrs. Lovett

Golden Globe Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Directed by Tim Burton

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Bellatrix Lestrange
2006 Sixty Six Esther Rubens
2005 Magnificent 7 Maggi Jackson TV movie
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Voice of Lady Tottington Video game
Corpse Bride Voice of Emily the Corpse Bride Directed by Tim Burton
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Voice of Lady Tottington
Conversations with Other Women Woman
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Mrs. Bucket Directed by Tim Burton
2004 Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Beatrice Baudelaire Uncredited cameo
2003 Big Fish Jenny - Young / Jenny - Senior / The Witch Directed by Tim Burton
Henry VIII Anne Boleyn

TV movie

For Live from Baghdad -

Golden Globe Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TV

Emmy Award Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie

2002 Live from Baghdad Ingrid Formanek
Till Human Voices Wake Us Ruby
The Heart of Me Dinah
2001 Novocaine Susan Ivey
Planet of the Apes Ari Directed by Tim Burton
Football Mum Short film
2000 Carnivale Voice of Milly
1999 The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything Lily TV movie
Women Talking Dirty Cora
Fight Club Marla Singer
1998 The Theory of Flight Jane Hatchard
Sweet Revenge Karen Knightly
Merlin Morgan le Fay

TV mini-series

Emmy Award Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie

Golden Globe Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture

1997 Keep the Aspidistra Flying Rosemary
The Wings of the Dove Kate Croy

Academy Award Nomination for Best Leading Actress

BAFTA Award Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Golden Globe Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

The Petticoat Expeditions Narrator Voice role
1996 Portraits chinois Ada
Twelfth Night: Or What You Will Olivia
The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century (TV series) Vera Brittain 1 episode
Explosion
1995 Jeremy Hardy Gives Good Sex Herself Voice role
Margaret's Museum Margaret MacNeil
Mighty Aphrodite Amanda Weinrib
1994 Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Elizabeth
Absolutely Fabulous (TV series) Dream Saffron 1 episode
Hospital
Butter Dorothy Short film
A Dark Adapted Eye Faith Severn (adult)

TV movie

For Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald -

Golden Globe Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TV

1993 Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald Marina Oswald
Dancing Queen Pandora/Julie
1992 Howards End Helen Schlegel BAFTA Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
1991 Brown Bear's Wedding Voice of White Bear TV movie
Where Angels Fear to Tread Caroline Abbott
Jackanory (TV series) Reader 5 episodes
1990 Hamlet Ophelia
1989 Getting It Right Lady Minerva Munday
Theatre Night (TV series) Raina Petkoff 1 episode
Arms and the Man
Francesco Chiara Offreduccio
1988 Six Minutes with Ludwig The Star Short film
The Mask Iris
1987 A Hazard of Hearts Serena Staverley TV movie
The Vision Jo Marriner TV movie
Maurice Lady at Cricket Match Cameo role
Miami Vice (TV series) Dr. Theresa Lyons 2 episodes
Theresa
The Savage
1986 Lady Jane Lady Jane Grey
1985 A Room with a View Lucy Honeychurch
1983 A Pattern of Roses Netty Bellinger TV movie

External Links

Notes and references

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