Helena Bonham Carter Reveals Why She and Tim Burton Never Tied the Knot

Helena Bonham Carter has opened up about why she never married her long-term partner Tim Burton, despite being together for more than a decade and having two children together.

The actor and director met on the set of Burton’s 2001 film Planet of the Apes and went on to collaborate on eight movies. Their children, Billy Raymond and Nell, were born during their relationship, which ended in 2014.

Speaking on the Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud podcast on December 17, the 59-year-old revealed that she and Burton never tied the knot because she doesn’t believe marriage is healthy. “I’ve never actually gotten married because I can’t honestly make that promise because I just don’t think it’s a healthy one,” she said.

Bonham Carter also discussed how her Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affected her relationships, including planning a wedding. “I’ve got ADHD, so the idea of organising a wedding… I mean, it would both be a great thing, but I would be so flipping obsessive about every single choice. It would just be like, oh my god,” she admitted.

The pair’s relationship was widely covered by the media. They became one of Hollywood’s most famous couples, working together on films like Big Fish, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland, and Dark Shadows. They lived in adjoining houses in Belsize Park, London, connected by a hallway—an arrangement that surprised many but worked for them.

Reflecting on her separation, Bonham Carter credited her friends for helping her through the split.

“I was incredibly grateful for my friendships. I think maybe my appreciation of them got bigger because they survived and supported me through this huge sea change. Also very much so for my children because when you go through a divorce… you rely on your other people around you to help carry the family. I felt like I had to almost hitchhike on other people’s families too,” she said.

Bonham Carter’s relationship history includes an earlier affair with Kenneth Branagh while he was married to Emma Thompson. The relationship ended in 1999, and she has said that there are no hard feelings between her and Thompson.

After her split from Burton, Bonham Carter started a relationship in 2018 with art historian Rye Dag Holmboe, who is 21 years younger than her. About their age difference, she told The Times in 2019, “Everybody ages at a different rate. My boyfriend is unbelievably mature. He’s an old soul in a young body, what more could I want? People are slightly frightened of older women, but he isn’t. Women can be very powerful when they’re older.”

Helena Bonham Carter’s openness about her views on marriage and her personal challenges offers insight into her life beyond the screen. She continues to balance her acting career with her personal life and family, maintaining her unique perspective on relationships and independence.

What do you think about Helena Bonham Carter’s approach to marriage and relationships? Share your thoughts in the comments.