Helena Bonham Carter recalls her split from Tim Burton. Image Source: The Telegraph

Helena Bonham Carter recalls her split from Tim Burton.

During an interview with Therapy Works, actress Helena Bonham Carter reflected on her split from filmmaker Tim Burton and how it affected her. She said that she wanted to wear something to indicate to people that she is not her normal self, adding that she wanted to wear all black afterward, which signifies that she is in mourning and under reconstruction.

Helena stated that people should bring back mourning uniforms because it shows that they are not themselves and should not be themselves. The actress considers that individuals still have complexity in confessing vulnerabilities and risks and that they hold a strong judgment based on it. Helena mentioned that as people, we must respect and acknowledge the loss, as well as take a breath.

Helena Bonham Carter and filmmaker Tim Burton were together from 2001 to 2014 and share two kids, Billy and Nell. Although they never married, the actress referred to their split as a divorce and explained that she went through a very painful divorce that was a long-lasting thing, and that’s the other thing: it’s not that finite. Helena said that it never ends; even if two people divorce each other, it's still kind of a marriage if they share kids, and she noted that it gets complicated how to share the children, but the relationship has to change.

Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton met on the sets of Planet of the Apes. Image Source: Vanity Fair 

The actress recalls the initial days of her split, stating that it was hard as she was vulnerable, and meeting friends was fine but not the people she did not know. She continued that she felt like she had no skin, and people don’t necessarily know how to treat other vulnerable people. She further explained that even with her friends, there were challenges, as sometimes they did not know what to do, and mentioned that there is a split loyalty.

Helena tried to explain that if they are worried about hurting someone, they could perhaps consult both parties and simply check in and say, "Would you mind if...?" She said the people should always regard what they've had, even if it was in history or, in their opinion, wasn't a good thing in the first place. That past relationship resulted in the divorce, and that individual was theirs. In a 2016 discussion with Harper's Bazaar, she referred to her divorce from Tim Burton as "divorce," and explained that just because divorce is the death of a relationship, it's bewildering to recognize that just about everything changes in a person's identity.

The former couple met on the sets of Planet of the Apes in 2001 and have collaborated on various films, including Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Alice in Wonderland, Big Fish, and Corpse Bride. The filmmaker at the time was in a relationship with actress Lisa Marie, and Helena was in a relationship with actor-director Kenneth Branagh when they were filming the movie. Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton, who share two kids, have never married and never even lived together; instead, they lived next door to each other in London’s Belsize Park, and their house was connected by a hallway.

Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton share two kids but were never married. Image Source: People 

During an interview with The Telegraph in 2010, the actress said that they see as much of each other as any other couple, but their relationship evolved with both of them acknowledging that they have their personal space as well. She spoke to Red Magazine in 2015 about her split and said that she could write a thesis on what happened between them, but she is absorbing it and went ahead to say that she still valued their relationship even if it ended.

Helena explained at the time that their relationship was always special and it will always remain special, adding that they did find each other but sometimes people are not meant to be forever together and they have to come to terms with the fact that what they had was the end. In 2020, she spoke to The Guardian about it once again and said they are great co-parents, she says, contributing that it took them some while to adjust, but she appears to think it's just very good now. And the children are fine; they also get lead two lives. When one shares custody, it's challenging to adjust to not having the kids around the actress noted adding that the cruelty of relationship breakdown is extraordinary. But even then one can reach a point where you think, "Oh, I get this week off!" A few parts are strongly advised.

Helena Bonham Carter's current partner is Rye Dag Holmboe, an art historian. During the interview, she joked that the shortest distance between two individuals is humor, not sex. Sex has been overrated she said but added that may reveal a lot about her.