Summary

• Helena Bonham Carter's diverse roles show her range as an actress, from the unhinged Bellatrix Lestrange to the conniving Madame Thénardier.
• In "A Room With A View," Carter's emotional depth at a young age launched her career into superstardom with her free-spirited portrayal of Lucy.
• "The Wings of the Dove" showcased Carter's ability to portray complex characters, earning her critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for her role as Kate.

Iconic actress Helena Bonham Carter has starred in many of the world's biggest movies, giving the world of cinema some incredible characters along the way. The acclaimed actress started her career in the 1980s, with her first role being Lady Jane Grey in Lady Jane, but over time became known for portraying some eccentric and wacky personas. She famously also had a relationship with director Tim Burton, who is also the father of her children.

Although several period drama TV shows and movies, especially in the early days of her career. However, despite Hollywood's attempts to categorize her, she proved that she's a diverse actress with a wide range of talents, which has resulted in some incredible movies from Helena Bonham Carter.

10 Alice In Wonderland (2010)

Role: The Red Queen

Tim Burton’s biggest box office success, Alice in Wonderland, saw Carter cast as the iconic Red Queen. Carter gave a stellar performance as Alice's (Mia Wasikowska) greatest tormentor, but this role was also memorable because of how the Red Queen was designed. Throughout the film, Carter sported a ridiculously large head, symbolic of the Red Queen's attitude and ego, which was added in with visual effects in post-production. The contrast in the size of her head and body allowed for some hilarious moments throughout the film, although this made her purpose as a villain less impactful at times.

However, Carter's portrayal of the Red Queen was also very strong because of how much depth she brought to the character.

However, Carter's portrayal of the Red Queen was also very strong because of how much depth she brought to the character. The actress proved that one of her strongest abilities as a performer was her use of facial expressions and gestures, especially during the Red Queen's exaggerated rants and outbursts. Carter reprised her role in the sequel, Alice Through the Looking Glass, and improved upon an already powerful performance.

9 A Room With A View (1985)

Role: Lucy Honeychurch

Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View was Carter's breakthrough role, and she did a beautiful job as the vacationer who struggled with choosing between her new love interest, George (Julian Sands), and her fiance back in England. Adapted from the E.M. Forster novel by the same name, Carter's way of presenting Lucy's free spirit in an Edwardian setting made her stand out among A Room with a View's cast, especially because she took the original source material and made it even better. Playing Lucy Honeychurch, rightfully so, launched Carter's career into superstardom.

Considering Carter was only 19 years old in A Room with a View, her giving such an emotionally deep performance was even more impressive.

Considering Carter was only 19 years old in A Room with a View, her giving such an emotionally deep performance was even more impressive. Carter's chemistry with Julian Sands was praised throughout, and the glaringly obvious differences between Lucy and George were brilliantly highlighted in their performance together. Although this role, as well as other early performances from Carter, were very different compared to the kind of characters she has since become known for, playing Lucy also showed how diverse an actress she was and has continued to be.

8 Fight Club (1999)

Role: Marla Singer

Interestingly, Carter almost didn't play Marla in Fight Club. However, it was good that she did take the role, as it ended up becoming a staple in her career. Carter's character provided some brilliant moments in Fight Club, such as causing incredible conflict between the Narrator (Edward Norton) and Tyler (Brad Pitt). Although the two male leads were the main focus in Fight Club, Carter managed to steal the spotlight as Marla, and she added something special to every scene she appeared in.

Marla's character was complicated yet simple at the same time, which Carter brilliantly demonstrated in her performance.

A great example of this was when she crashed the group, in which Carter took every opportunity to make her presence on screen memorable. Marla's character was complicated yet simple at the same time, which Carter brilliantly demonstrated in her performance. Even though Marla was detached from reality and rather self-destructive, she also appeared to be the only relatively level-headed character in Fight Club. Thanks to Carter, Marla became a crucially important character in Fight Club, rather than just a love interest for Tyler.

7 Hamlet (1990)

Role: Ophelia

Although there have been plenty of movies adapted from Shakespearean plays, 1990's Hamlet stood out. Even though Hamlet received mixed reviews upon its release, Carter's role as Ophelia was particularly praised. Because of her incredible diction, Carter was an ideal candidate to play Ophelia but outdid expectations of her hugely. For example, her chemistry with costar Mel Gibson, who portrayed the titular character, was especially strong.

The conflict Ophelia faced over being loyal to her family and being drawn to Hamlet allowed Carter to show off her acting range brilliantly.

The conflict Ophelia faced over being loyal to her family and being drawn to Hamlet allowed Carter to show off her acting range brilliantly, even if their fate wasn't meant to be. At only 26, Carter also performed one of the best scenes of her career in Hamlet. At one point, Ophelia watched Polonius (Ian Holm) die, and this scene proved just how amazingly strong an actress Carter was, through Ophelia's haunting and heartbreaking reaction to the death of her father.

6 Les Misérables (2012)

Role: Madame Thénardier

All of the cast in Les Misérables gave iconic performances, but Carter was especially praised for her back-and-forth with costar Sacha Baron Cohen. Carter and Cohen portrayed the Thénardiers, a pair of shameless con artists who brought plenty of chaos wherever they went. The two added some brilliantly hilarious moments to Les Misérables' bleak story, such as the Master of the House scene and the way Carter delivered the line "thinks he's quite a lover, but there's not much there" was subtle yet funny.

Playing Madame Thénardier gave her another opportunity to diversify the roles in her filmography.

Carter particularly leaned into Madame Thénardier's conniving nature and disregard for others, which made her character even funnier. Les Misérables was Carter's first musical, and playing Madame Thénardier gave her another opportunity to diversify the roles in her filmography. Despite not being a traditional singer, her character's personality allowed Carter to put a comedic twist on her songs, but she remained in tune and was entertaining overall.

5 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)

Role: Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix Lestrange was one of Carter's most iconic roles, starring in four of the Harry Potter movies, the first being Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. However, her last appearance as Lestrange in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was the best for a few reasons. As the Battle of Hogwarts began, Bellatrix was at her most unhinged, having already murdered Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), and she'd also truly cemented herself as Voldemort's (Raph Fiennes) closest confidant. Carter's incredible portrayal of the lunatic witch was spectacularly dramatic with a comical streak, an ideal character for her.

The most notable scene of Carter's as Lestrange happened during the Battle of Hogwarts.

However, the most notable scene of Carter's as Lestrange happened during the Battle of Hogwarts. In an effort to protect Hogwarts and her children, Molly Weasley (Julie Walters) dueled Bellatrix, which resulted in the legendary line of dialogue, "Not my daughter, you b*tch!" When Molly Weasley killed Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter, Carter truly shone. Despite it being her final scene in the franchise, Carter gave the perfect goodbye to the Lestrange through her facial expressions as she realized her fate and disappeared into thin air in a tense, dramatic performance.

4 Howards End (1992)

Role: Helen Schlegel

Howards End was a hugely successful movie of Carter's and won three Oscars in 1993, with Best Actress going to her costar Emma Thompson, who played Margaret. Although she wasn't nominated for an Academy Award as Helen, Carter was put forward for Best Actress in a ing Role at the BAFTAs for her role in Howards End. Unfortunately, she lost out to Miranda Richardson for her role as Ingrid Fleming in Damage. Despite this, it didn't take away from the fact that Carter had provided an incredible performance as Margaret's naive and emotional younger sister.

Like many of Carter's other characters, Helen was a complex person.

The period drama was particularly praised for Carter and Thompson's authentic representation of two siblings, and their bond was an important factor in the film's success. Like many of Carter's other characters, Helen was a complex person. Although innocent, she was also wickedly intelligent, two character traits Carter had previously demonstrated that she could skilfully replicate. Carter's take on Helen Schlegel and her chaotic life was an interesting role for the actress, but one she nailed.

3 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Role: Mrs. Lovett

Although the two have appeared on screen together many times, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street was by far the best of all of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter's movies. In another title directed by Tim Burton, Carter was the Mrs. Lovett to Depp's Sweeney Todd, and the two quickly proved why they were so strong together. The chemistry between Depp and Carter was electrifying yet tense while still sticking with the film's overall gothic and eerie tones, especially in scenes with Toby (Ed Sanders) singing to them both.

Although Carter has played characters that were eccentric and deluded, Mrs. Lovett was easily the most unhinged.

Mrs. Lovett was also one of Carter's more recognizable roles. The character and the actress shared a similar aesthetic, dressed in sweeping gowns and wearing dark makeup. Although Carter has played characters that were eccentric and deluded, Mrs. Lovett was easily the most unhinged, as Sweeney Todd's crazed apprentice enjoyed processing corpses as stuffing for her pies. Given how well Carter portrayed Mrs. Lovett, it made sense that she'd had so much success in Burton's movies.

2 The King's Speech (2010)

Role: Queen Elizabeth

In The King's Speech, Carter played Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, opposite Colin Firth as England's King George VI. Critics and audiences immensely praised Carter's portrayal of George's dedicated wife, and she received a nomination for Best ing Actress at the Oscars in 2011. Unfortunately, she lost to Melissa Leo as Alice Eklund-Ward in The Fighter, although The King's Speech did win Best Picture, and Firth took home Best Actor. Considering her beautiful performance as Elizabeth, it made sense that Carter would go on to play Princess Margaret in the Netflix series The Crown.

Carter and Firth's chemistry was particularly impressive throughout the film.

Carter and Firth's chemistry was particularly impressive throughout the film, as they both made their monarch characters feel more human. Although many couldn't relate to her situation, Carter's ability to engage audiences as the hopeful and ive spouse was very understandable. Carter's stellar performance made The King's Speech a staple title in her filmography, and it came at the right time, as at this point in her career, she faced being typecast in gothic, Tim Burton-esque roles.

1 The Wings Of The Dove (1997)

Role: Kate Croy

Helena Bonham Carter's best role was as Kate Croy in the 1997 film The Wings of the Dove. Throughout the film, Kate is torn between true love with journalist Merton Densher (Linus Roache) and her desire for riches. One particularly strong factor in Kate's character was her ability to manipulate Millie (Alison Elliott), a terminally ill woman whom Kate used to achieve both of her dreams in one go. Her ability to play complex characters was always strong, but Carter's portrayal of Kate proved just how varied an actress she was.

Carter brilliantly demonstrated the character's flaws while still allowing audiences to root for Kate.

In particular, Carter brilliantly demonstrated the character's flaws while still allowing audiences to root for Kate, which is what made her such an interesting character. For her role, Carter deservedly received critical acclaim for her work in The Wings of the Dove. She also earned her first-ever Oscar nominee for playing Kate, but Best Actress was instead given to Helen Hunt as Carol Connelly in As Good as It Gets. Kate Croy proved that Helena Bonham Carter was a prominent name in the acting world, and her performance showed that The Wings of the Dove was easily her best film.