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Helena's career began when she was still at school and she landed a role in the film A Pattern of Roses*. But the role that really broke her into the big time came two years later, when, at the age of 18 she played Lucy Honeychurch in the Merchant Ivory* film, A Room with a View*, based on the novel by EM Forster. The film also starred Maggie Smith* and Judi Dench*.
She had a complete change of pace when she took the role of Don Johnson's* fiancee in Miami Vice*, the 1980s US detective series. However she took many more roles in period dramas, such as A Hazard of Hearts* and Lady Jane*. She also starred as Ophelia opposite Mel Gibson* in a Franco Zeffirelli production of Hamlet*.
Another famous role was to follow when she took the role of Helen in Howard's End*. The film was a huge hit and starred a huge array of British acting talent, including Emma Thompson*, Samuel West, Vanessa Redgrave* and Anthony Hopkins*. The film won three Oscars and was nominated for six more. Helena was nominated for a BAFTA* as best supporting actress for her role.
She followed this success with several appearances in TV, including playing a stripper opposite Rik Mayall in Dancing Queen*, and taking the lead in a psychological thriller by Ruth Rendell, A Dark Adapted Eye*.
She returned to film work in Frankenstein*. The film starred Robert De Niro* and Kenneth Branagh* who also directed. It wasn't a huge critical success, but it was the beginning of a romance between Kenneth and Helena which was to last several years.
Her next step was to star in the Woody Allen* film Mighty Aphrodite*, starring as Allen's wife, Amanda. She went on to play Olivia in the Trevor Nunn adaptation of Twelfth Night*, and was nominated for an Oscar for her role in The Wings of the Dove.
Helena then really started to break the cycle of period dramas. She starred opposite Kenneth Branagh again - this time playing a woman dying of motor neurone disease in The Theory of Flight*, played Brad Pitt's* girlfriend in Fight Club* and then in 2001 she landed the role of Ari, an ape, in the remake of Planet of the Apes*.
Planet of the Apes attracted a lot of criticism, and won a Razzie* as the the worst remake or sequel of the year. However, it changed Helena's life, by introducing her to the director, Tim Burton*.
She was nominated for an Emmy* and a Golden Globe* for her role playing a CNN* producer during the Gulf War in Live From Baghdad*, and then slipped back into costume drama when she played Anne Boleyn in a TV biopic of Henry VIII* which starred Ray Winstone*.
More recently she has appeared as a voice in two animated films. She played the Corpse Bride* in the Tim Burton animated feature of the same name, and Lady Totty in the Nick Park* film, Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit*. She makes a rare appearance in BBC drama in December 2005, playing Maggi in Magnificent 7, based on the real-life story of Jaqui Jackson's extraordinary family.
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Helena is the great-granddaughter of Herbert Asquith, the 20th-century Prime Minister.
Her cousin is the actor Crispin Bonham Carter*, also known as Mr Bingley in the classic BBC adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. He also appeared in Howard's End, which co-starred Helena.
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| Personal Details |
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Helena was born on the 26th May, 1966
Helena's other half is acclaimed director Tim Burton (Sleepy Hollow*, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Batman). They have one son, Billy and the couple live next door to each other in two interconnecting houses in London.
* The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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Helena Bonham Carter
