Helena Bonham Carter is known for her weird and wacky roles ranging from Bellatrix in the Harry Potter films to Queen Elizabeth in The Kings Speech, and of course, her frequent well-loved collaborations with her ex-husband, Tim Burton.
The couple who are now just friends combined their eccentricity to create wonderful onscreen characters, however, it can be hard to rank the series of odd individuals created by the couple due to each one being entirely different. From Planet Of The Apes to the final film the couple created together, which out of all 8 is the best?
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (2005)
Helena Bonham Carter usually occupies bigger roles than the one she played in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory but her smaller role didn't hinder her acting ability. Within the movie, she played the role of Charlie's highly believable mother, especially when she offered him words of support when she and Charlie's father purchased a Willy Wonka bar for his birthday with the hope of finding a golden ticket.
She may have only been visible in a couple of scenes however in those scenes she mastered the art of expressing maternal support and love towards Charlie. But due to her short time on screen, she is not as memorable in this role as in other Tim Burton classics.
Dark Shadows (2012)
Helena made heads turn when she played Dr. Julia Hoffman in Dark Shadows whether that be due to her striking red hair or her American twang that saw her deliver some sassy lines towards other characters within the movie. Her role saw her adopt an American accent, which was unusual due to her normally playing very English-sounding characters, however, her accent was hard to beat as it echoed Dr. Julia's sultry personality.
Dr. Julia was an intelligent woman who had a fiery temper which was perfectly performed by Helena when she found out that Barnabas was a vampire, and her explosion at Elizabeth highlights how Helena can embody unusual characters and execute them perfectly. Helena's role as Dr. Julia was captivating which makes it increasingly hard to rank in comparison to her other roles but viewers can agree that whilst Dr. Julia was an interesting character, she wasn't quite as eccentric and fascinating as some of Helena's other roles.
Big Fish (2003)
Tim Burton's imagination is one to behold especially when it's brought to life on the big screen. His eccentricity is captured flawlessly by the actors and actresses he casts, in particular frequent collaborators Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp. However, his movie Big Fish is one that saw Helena take on two roles: one as Jenny and the other as The Witch however it was suggested that the two characters were actually one.
Both characters were interesting and the stark differences in both were adopted and showcased by Helena who played both roles so differently that they were recognizably separate characters. However, the pair also had underlying similarities which hinted at how Tim Burton had subtly linked the two characters, which is why it is ranked so highly. Her ability to play two different characters so well within the same film highlights her talent in adapting to different roles quickly and still creating a stellar performance that adopts the traits of each character in one of Tim Burton's best movies.
Planet Of The Apes (2001)
Planet Of The Apes was the first time Helena Bonham Carter ever collaborated with who would become her long-term partner: Tim Burton. The pair's collaboration took Helena out of her usual roles and saw her transform into an ape named Ari and while her role in this movie was not a leading one she adopted her central side character perfectly.
Helena mastered the mannerisms and movements of an ape resulting in her role as Ari being an increasingly convincing one that not only took her out of her comfort zone but emphasized her acting ability. Helena's role as Ari shocked viewers due to it being unlike the usual characters they were used to seeing her play. However, like a true Hollywood icon, Helena proved she could do both and also happened to meet her long-time partner who would later be partly responsible for some of her most interesting and successful characters.
Corpse Bride (2005)
Helena Bonham Carter wasn't actually seen within the film Corpse Bride due to it being an animated movie however Helena excelled in her acting career when her voice-only role led to one of her best performances yet. Within the movie, she plays Emily, who is indeed both a bride and a corpse. Emily has a haunting voice due to the nature of her character and Helena definitely carried her eerie tone across when playing this role.
Helena was able to use her voice to carry all of the emotions of Emily's character which executes just how talented the actress is. Her portrayal of Emily was able to capture so many different emotions and reactions, using just her voice, which resulted in Emily's character being such an iconic and likable one, not to mention the onscreen chemistry that is perfectly executed anytime Johnny Depp and Helena play alongside one another.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2007)
The onscreen chemistry between Johnny Depp and Helena is obvious to both the viewer and Tim Burton who continually casts the two together, but this movie sees the pair embark on what is possibly their darkest onscreen relationship to date. The story follows Benjamin who is a barber and seeks revenge for being imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, however, his wife is more than happy to help him with his revenge plan when she begins cooking his murder victims into pies.
Johnny and Helena's chemistry within this movie has fans wanting to hate them but also having a soft spot for their eccentric and killer ways. Both Johnny and Helena are highly believable killers who perform some great musical numbers throughout the movie. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street exemplifies Tim Burton's unique imagination alongside Helena and Johnny's ability to bring it to life in what is an amazing onscreen representation of the story of Sweeney Todd.
Alice In Wonderland (2010)/Alice Through The Looking Glass (2016)
Within both Alice In Wonderland and Alice Through The Looking Glass, Helena plays the role of the Red Queen and has even the audience fearing for their lives. Although the film is part animation and part live-action, her role of Red Queen is just as horrifying for viewers, she is a particularly unlikeable villain who viewers can't help but admire for her cutthroat attitude to anyone that upsets her even just a little bit.
The image of the Red Queen is brought to life but it is Helena's acting and Tim Burtons directing skills that makes the character so interesting. Helena plays an exceptionally good tyrant, commanding the screen through her prestigious walk and ruthless personality, resulting in her role as Red Queen being labeled her best role out of all 8 Tim Burton films she's starred in.