Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton announced their split last Christmas Eve. It was depressing, because if Tim Burton and HBC can’t make it work, there really is no hope left in the world. As it turned out, Burton might have been going through a mid-life crisis thing where he already had a younger jumpoff (a production assistant) on the side. It was messy, but HBC and Burton didn’t air their laundry publicly so the stories died after a few weeks. Now, months later, Helena is talking about the split a little bit with Red Magazine (she’s promoting Suffragette).

Her split with Tim Burton: “I could write a thesis on what’s happened and it is all-absorbing when a relationship breaks down, but I think we’re coming through it. I think we’ll have something very precious still. Our relationship was always somewhat special, and I think it’ll always remain special. We did find each other. And really, the mark of a successful relationship shouldn’t be whether you’re there forever after. Sometimes you’re not meant to be forever together. Sometimes you’re not meant to be forever together. Sometimes you have to come to terms with the fact that that was it. But that was a gift, a massive gift.”

Whether they lived together: “We gave each other children and a lot more else. And we might be better, and still be able to give to each other, but not necessarily living together. Everyone seemed to think we didn’t, but that was a load of myth.”

Turning 50 next year: “We’re getting dilapidated, but you can’t control that, so why worry? I’m more conscious of the kids’ childhood going, because that goes so fast, it’s a bit like watching one of those time lapses. There’s no pressing pause. You’ve just got to say goodbye all the time, but also say hello. You must remember to say hello. So I’m going to say hello to my 5-0 – because otherwise when I’m 60 I’ll be going, “Oh, you should’ve enjoyed your fifties.”’

[From The Daily Mail & People]

I believe her and I believe that she doesn’t have many hard feelings about what went down with Burton. I think the “I could write a thesis” is probably a reference to Burton’s jumpoff thing and perhaps she does have thoughts about him being such a mid-life crisis cliché, although to be fair to Burton, it’s not like he bought a hot rod and went on a nanny-banging binge with Ben Affleck. I agree with her sentiment about “the mark of a successful relationship shouldn’t be whether you’re there forever after.” Sometimes you can have a successful, fulfilling relationship and it just ends and that’s fine. Anyway, it doesn’t sound like she’s wallowing or throwing pity parties. She’s fine. She’s Helena Bonham Carter, for goodness sake.

Photos courtesy of Red.