15 Brilliant Helena Bonham Carter Performances

Corpse Bride (2005)

The Role: Corpse Bride

Another of her performances for director-partner Tim Burton, Bonham Carter provided a voice for this spooky stop-motion animation. She's the titular zombie wife to whom Johnny Depp's Victor Van Dort finds himself married after a misunderstanding in the woods.

The Brilliance: The synopsis of the movie sounded like it could have been a single punchline joke, and the Bride herself an annoying plot contrivance. But Bonham Carter makes the maggot-infested blue lass genuinely sweet and appealing, and gives Depp's character a tough choice when it comes to picking a bride.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

The Role: Bellatrix Lestrange

It's hard to believe that HBC wasn't actually the first choice for the dotty Death Eater (Helen McRory was the first choice, but pregnancy kept her from taking the role). A part in the wizarding franchise pretty much confirmed her 'National Treasure' status, once and for all.

The Brilliance: You could worry that this sort of role could see Bonham Carter resting on her laurels, but somehow she manages to bring something fresh to the table, making the feral witch a highlight of the latter-part of the Potter series.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

The Role: Red Queen

Tim Burton's decision to keep casting his missus in his movies (six, so far) could cause him to get a lot of stick, if he wasn't always vindicated by the performances she turns in. His visually-stunning Lewis Carroll adaptation disappointed in the story stakes, but once again HBC rose above it with another awesome, larger-than-life character.

The Brilliance: Even when playing a digitally-augmented fantasy creation, her acting skills shine through. Her petulant monarch is another character that you want to just savour and enjoy, regardless of the quality of the film.

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Toast (2010)

The Role: Mrs Potter

Who would have thought that the biography of a food writer and presenter would have made such compelling festive viewing? This adaptation of Nigel Slater's memoirs featured Helena Bonham Carter as the wannabe-cook's unwelcome stepmother.

The Brilliance: There was a danger that this performance could have been pantomime villainy, but Bonham Carter managed to exude maternal menace without ever descending into histrionics. Helped make this TV movie feel bigger than the small screen.

The King's Speech (2010)

Up next, Bonham Carter is appearing in Oscar-baiting drama The King's Speech .

Colin Firth plays Albert, Duke of York, the stammering royal who tries to overcome his speech impediment with the help of eccentric therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), and Bonham Carter is Bertie's wife Elizabeth, the future Queen Mum.

The film hits cinemas today, and you can read the official Total Film verdict right here .