Helena Bonham Carter

Descended from British nobility, Helena Bonham Carter was born in London May 26, 1966. With her porcelain complexion and doe eyes, she was ideally cast as the archetypal English heroine in a string of period films that brought her critical acclaim.

Bonham Carter gained notoriety as the protagonist in A Room with a View (1985); on the heels of that success, she landed a steady stream of film work, including a turn opposite Mel Gibson in Hamlet (1990). In 1992, Bonham Carter continued in the costume-drama vein with Howards End, but her change-of-pace role in Mighty Aphrodite (1995) became a turning point in her shift toward playing contemporary characters.

The elfin actress earned a Best Actress Oscar nod for her performance in The Wings of the Dove (1997) and later nabbed Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for her supporting turn in The King's Speech (2010). Her other notable work includes Fight Club (1999) and the dark comedy Novocaine (2001).

Filmography