Helena Bonham Carter: British Actress of Fight Club and Harry Potter

Helena Bonham Carter is a British film, television, voice and stage actress. She is best known for playing Marla Singer in Fight Club (1999), Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter films (2007–2011) and Queen Elizabeth in The King’s Speech (2010). Her most recent work is the role of Lady Caterham in Netflix’s Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials (2026).

Helena Bonham Carter first became famous in period dramas such as A Room with a View (1985). She later became one of Britain’s most recognizable character actresses, often playing eccentric and unconventional women in both blockbusters and independent films. She won a BAFTA for The King’s Speech and was twice nominated for an Academy Award.

Quick facts about Helena Bonham Carter

Born	26 May 1966, London, England
Age	60 (as of November 2026)
Occupation	Actress (film, television, voice and stage)
Years active	1983–present
Known for	A Room with a View (1985), Fight Club (1999), the Harry Potter series (2007–2011), The King’s Speech (2010)
Major awards	BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (2011, The King’s Speech)
Profiles	Wikipedia · IMDb

Helena Bonham Carter as Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View (1985)

Helena Bonham Carter broke through as Lucy Honeychurch in James Ivory’s A Room with a View (1985). She had never trained formally as an actress. Her first professional job was a TV commercial at 16, and in 1983 she had a small part in the TV film A Pattern of Roses.

Helena Bonham Carter played the title role in Lady Jane (1986). Her other period work followed: Ophelia in Hamlet (1990), Howards End (1992) and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994). For playing Kate Croy in The Wings of the Dove (1997), she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Helena Bonham Carter as Marla Singer in Fight Club (1999)

Helena Bonham Carter moved well beyond the “English rose” image as Marla Singer in David Fincher’s Fight Club (1999). In the film, Marla meets the Narrator at a cancer support group. The film opened up a darker, stranger range of roles for her. Highlights include several films with director Tim Burton:

• Big Fish (2003)
• Corpse Bride (2005)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
• Alice in Wonderland (2010)
• Dark Shadows (2012)

Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter films (2007–2011)

Helena Bonham Carter played the Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange in the last four Harry Potter films. She started with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) and finished with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). During the same period, she played Queen Elizabeth in The King’s Speech (2010) and Enid Blyton in the BBC Four film Enid (2009).

Helena Bonham Carter’s later roles include:

• Miss Havisham in Great Expectations (2012)
• The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella (2015)
• Rose Weil in Ocean’s 8 (2018)
• Eudoria Holmes in the Enola Holmes films
• Princess Margaret in The Crown (2019–2020)
• Babette Winton in One Life (2023)

Helena Bonham Carter filmography (selected)

Year	Title	Role	Type
2026	Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials	Lady Caterham	TV series
2023	One Life	Babette Winton	Film
2022	Enola Holmes 2	Eudoria Holmes	Film
2019–2020	The Crown	Princess Margaret	TV series
2018	Ocean’s 8	Rose Weil	Film
2016	Alice Through the Looking Glass	Red Queen	Film
2015	Cinderella	Fairy Godmother	Film
2011	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2	Bellatrix Lestrange	Film
2010	The King’s Speech	Queen Elizabeth	Film
2009	Enid	Enid Blyton	TV film
2005	Corpse Bride	—	Voice role
1999	Fight Club	Marla Singer	Film
1997	The Wings of the Dove	Kate Croy	Film
1986	Lady Jane	Lady Jane (title role)	Film
1985	A Room with a View	Lucy Honeychurch	Film

Helena Bonham Carter awards and recognition

• 2011 – BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (win). She won for playing Queen Elizabeth in The King’s Speech.
• 2010 – International Emmy Award for Best Actress (win). She won for playing Enid Blyton in the BBC Four film Enid.
• Academy Award nominations. She was nominated for Best Actress for The Wings of the Dove (1997) and for Best Supporting Actress for The King’s Speech (2010).
• Primetime Emmy nominations. She received two nominations for playing Princess Margaret in seasons three and four of The Crown.

FAQ

– How old is Helena Bonham Carter?

Helena Bonham Carter was born on 26 May 1966, so she is 60 years old (as of November 2026).

– Where was Helena Bonham Carter born?

Helena Bonham Carter was born in London, England.

– Who did Helena Bonham Carter play in Harry Potter?

Helena Bonham Carter played Bellatrix Lestrange in the last four Harry Potter films, from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011).

– What is Helena Bonham Carter’s latest project?

As of November 2026, Helena Bonham Carter’s latest project is Netflix’s Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials (2026), in which she plays Lady Caterham.

Header photo: Raph_PH / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0, resized