Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton are over. I can’t say it’s really a surprise, although it is truly sad. They seemed to make a lot of sense together, they are both quirky and strange and they seemed to enjoy their weird little family unit. But in October 2013, Tim was seen getting very flirty and handsy and kissy with another woman. Helena was cryptic about their relationship ever since, and now in their separation announcement, it sounds like they’ve spent most of 2014 apart.
After 13 years together, Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter have split.
The couple “separated amicably earlier this year and have continued to be friends and co-parent their children,” Carter’s rep tells PEOPLE exclusively. “We would ask that you respect their privacy and that of their children during this time.”
The pair – who never married – first met when Burton, 56, directed Carter, 48, in 2001’s Planet of the Apes. Since then, they’ve teamed up on several blockbusters, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows.
Attending the Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion at Universal Orlando Resort in June with Burton and their two children – son Billy, 11, and daughter Nell, 7 – Carter told PEOPLE Burton simply represented “love.”
I didn’t realize the Helena was 48! There’s something sort of ageless about her, or maybe she always seemed like such an old soul, now her actual age is catching up. So, what do you think? I think Helena will probably continue to live in England with the kids and Tim will be spending more time in LA, probably. And he’ll find another muse. Cough.
Here are some photos of Helena, Tim and their kids Nell and Billy out in London in November. So… at least this seems very amicable.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I thought they truly would make it. But yeah as Lainey said, we shall see if the blonde will be Tim’s version of Amber Heard.
It’s interesting that Tim and Helena separated after being together almost as long as Johnny and Vanessa.
I agree, he really seemed like her forever dong!!
That’s sad, they’ve been together a long time and have kids. Hope they manage to keep it amicable.
Always sad to see a family break up. Agree about the kids – they, or at least she (don’t know much about him) seems like the sort who can keep it civil. I hope so.
Agree.
That’s too bad, they seemed like a perfect match. But if Burton did/does have a wondering eye then i guess its for the best. Hopefully their kids are handling it okay.
Sorry to hear he and Helena are splitting. They were quite well matched it appeared anyway.
When early rumours started surfacing that he had an affair, I had a feeling there was something going on behind the scenes.
He seems to have loonnnnnnnng relationships, then sudden splits, but the new muse, actress is waiting innthe wings having already been found.
Before Helena there was a actress he dated for years and years..,,can’t recall her name, but she had parts in all of his films.
Lisa Marie–of the once purple hair, not of the Presley line…
She is forever Morgan le Fey to me.
Sigh. I loved that version of Merlin too!
I also will always remember her as Miss Honeychurch in the 80s Room With A View.
This news DOES make me sad.
Me too!
Yes, Miss Honeychurch!
I like her quirkiness better than his quirkiness! I wish her all the best.
This news is actually a little sad. They had my dream relationship: long-term, not married, separate houses, seemingly happy… Sigh.
I guess someone woke up and realized it was not such a dream after all.
She admitted to being very type A neurotic and he was very messy and sloppy which drove her mad and caused her extreme anxiety. That was the main reason for seperate homes outside of location for travel. They loved eachother, but through their own quirks couldn’t stand being with eachother outside of casually. It was never that happy when you looked past the surface, but they seemed like 2 people that could make it work.
Yeah, he does not end a relationship without someone else on standby. Come to think if it, I think Carter is the same way. How can a person be in a holding pattern of never being alone.
Neither one of them has ever seemed to be overly concerned about overlapping relationships. It is too bad that now children are involved. Honestly, I find him so physically repellent that I can’t imagine anyone looking at him and thinking,, “Oh yeah. I need to get me some of that.”
To be fair, we don’t have a ton of examples of women that Tim Burton has had a relationship with, but he HAS left his significant relationships to go directly to another woman (his wife – Lisa Marie, Lisa Marie – HBC). But HBC is less about having a jump off and more that 1) she’s a big co-star dater and 2) tends to be unconcerned about the relationship status of the people she hooks up with.
Yep, HBC had the affair with Kenneth Branaugh back in the day that led to the bustup of his marriage to Emma Thompson. Of course, he is more to blame, but I have zero respect for women OR men who sleep with married folks. THEN, she started with Burton while he was in a long term relationship as well. Again, the guys are sleazier, but she has a pattern. So there is all that karma stuff now . . . and Emma Thompson is my forever girlcrush.
@ ebethk : i love emma thompson as well.
The Branaugh affair was the nail in the coffin for me. Yes, he’s mainly to blame, he was married. But as ebethk stated, I also have zero respect for women that sleep with married men. ESPECIALLY women that make it a habit. So when Helena hooked up with Tim, I wasn’t surprised in the least. But I was kind of heartbroken.
Tim Burton & Lisa Marie were together for like 13 years or something. He used to throw her these amazing, lavish birthday balls. He called her his Muse. They seemed so perfect for each other, so many common, weird interests. And the icing on the cake is that Helena had befriended her during the filming of Planet of the Apes. Reports at the time were that Lisa & Helena were quite chummy. So she slept with her friends common law husband. Just doubly gross and wrong on so many levels. I hope Lisa is laughing somewhere and living happily ever after.
To be brutally honest, I think a lot of it has to do with wealth. Adultery is common, very common, because monogamy can be really restrictive for some people, moreso than we’d like to admit. Many couples control their behavior because the financial and familial ties wound up in their marriage make divorce a very impactful decision. When you are both wealthy enough that splitting won’t seriously affect you financially, your kids are predominantly raised by caretakers, and you are constantly traveling and meeting new, exciting people, the risk of divorce doesn’t seem as daunting.
This ^^^^^
So true.
This is the reality of human relationships and marriages. Considering how many people actually do factor their potential mate’s career and money making potential into their marital decisions, no one should be surprised that for many money is the deciding point on whether to get divorced or “make it work”. So, yes, Veronica, I agree with you completely.
They had 13 years, active and successful careers supporting each other, 2 lovely children and they’re still friendly about it all. I call that a win. Life is too short to regret and be sad.
I actually thought they were married for some reason. People never know what is going on. All the speculation about couples ending and then the ones you never expect are the ones that are over.
Hopefully they stay close for their children. Which are still very young.
Tim jumps from one relationship to another. He’ll have another woman in no time. Please let her be age appropriate and not an Amber Heard.
Does this mean he’ll stop making his bad ‘quirky’ movies now?
Like her. Hopefully she’ll still get work. I hope she’s happy. Dislike him though. His work just turns me off.
His style isn’t for everyone. I’m not a huge fan of the same Burton gothic feel, but the films are good. If you look past that scene and into the storyline.
Yeah, a lot of my friends liked him in their Goth phases but it was never my thing. I’ve tried to understand but I could never get past how overtly weird his films could be. It was like he was trying too hard, at least for me.
G.
I agree. Some of his movies did come off that way. Although Batman and Nightmare beforee Christmas were great imo. His more recent stuff seems like he’s phoning it in.
Big Fish… I loved Big Fish.
Nightmare Before Christmas is my all time favourite movie. I fell in love with the imagination required to make that movie. Jack was a little swoon-worthy too.
Their kids are little versions of themselves. Adorable.
And they were only together since 2001? I thought it was much longer.
No secret though they lived most of their relationship apart. Seperate homes and largely seperate lives, but it worked. They’re both quirky, but both so different. I liked them together.
Their homes are connected, though. They lived next door to each other with a connecting interior walkway.
Burton was often not in his joined home though if even in the same country.
Please just tell me he’s not going to find another young blonde(or not) starlet like Amber Heard.
It is always sad news when a family breaks apart.
It is.
I thought they were kind of doomed when I read, a few years back, that they were living in separate houses. Then last year, the image of him kissing another woman was published. My guess is that they’ve been living separate lives for quite a while, at least five years.
They’ve always lived in separate houses as long as they’ve been together. Basically there are three inter-connected ones, one for each of them with one for their children in-between. I think that wasn’t a sign of distance or lovelessness but more a desire for personal space (which isn’t a totally bad idea in a marriage if the two people have different ideas about cleanliness, style, etc.). But yes, the photos of him with the blonde woman were a bit of an alarm bell.
I’m someone who really likes my own space. When I don’t have my own space it’s stressful and puts a strain on the relationship. And when that happens it tends to end because it comes down to “live together or break up” with nothing in between. Two houses next door to each other is unconventional but it would suit me. I actually think more people would do it if they could afford to!
That would suit me as well. Definitely need my own space.
They lived in one big house they converted from 3 houses. They just had their own areas of each house, so they had some space. Just like every other couple who can afford a big house.
What is Helena’s type? Her and Tim seemed perfect for each other. I don’t see her dating, but who knows …
Well, if she needs consolation she lives right next to HIddles, so here’s hoping …..
Could you imagine? I would positively, absolutely pass out in front of my breakfast if I ever have to scroll by that headline.
Friends, neighbors and convenient. An excellent beginning. LOL. 🙂
Her type is married or committed men.
Well they got together when they had an affair during that Planet of the Apes movie while he was in a relationship with the model Lisa Marie. She also had an affair with Kenneth Branagh when he was married to Emma Thompson. So I really can’t feel bad for either of them since they both have a habit of not respecting relationships. Hope the kids are okay, though.
I really haven’t ever forgiven her for breaking up Kenneth and Emma. I know Kenneth wandered but still she and Emma were contemporaries that had worked together often.
Emma Thompson was a serial cheater during their marriage, so don’t feel sorry for her.
This kind of comment annoy me. A third party never breaks the relationship, the person who allows someone else in does. This doesn’t mean what she did was ok though.
I agree completely, Sof, but it still doesn’t speak well of the third party, especially when it’s a pattern in her relationships. If it was a one time mistake, that’s one thing, but when all of your relationships begin with people who are otherwise attached, it reflects on you in both your actions and your choices of partners.
Didn’t know that about Thompson — I feel better about her and Branaugh now. 🙂
Yeah, I remember when Emma Thompson talked about how she didn’t care about Kenneth/Helena anymore, and it was brought up that Kenneth and she were both very open about their ‘arrangement’….basically they were not monogamous AT ALL. I think the rub is that he left her, and THAT’S what she was upset about.
Honestly, I couldn’t be in a relationship like that, because that ALWAYS happens–with rare exceptions. Especially since they weren’t in threesomes, they were both going off, for months at a time, while working, and sleeping with other people. Emotions always get involved in stuff like that.
I also read from older posters that neither Kenneth or Emma were liked–they were both seen as very arrogant people, in their personal lives.
Emma and Ken are both with other people now and have created wonderful families. They’ve moved on. Everyone else should too.
Seriously, she’s with Greg Wise. So very pretty.
She really is so beautiful!! I definitely am more of her fan than his. I just hope that their kids are OK through all of this.
So true! She really is a stunningly beautiful woman. And that hair….my lord! Aside from when it’s teased into a rats nest, it’s gorgeous. 😉
I agree that she is a truly stunning, ethereal beauty, and she is aging so lovely.
I really wanted them to make it. Goldie and Kurt – you’re our last hope!!
Don’t forget Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson…
I’m not happy nor sad to see these two split. Hopefully the blonde from last year doesn’t pop up as his next partner because ru-roh, another overlap for Burton (after all, both him and HBC are known cheaters).
Also, I’m looking forward for HBC to act in decent films again haha. No but seriously though!
I think it sad that this relationship is coming to an end. Oh well he will wake up soon with a new woman who is using him for his money or getting parts and he will end up with a new child or two to ensure payment for the next 18 years or so. Men just lose their minds in their fifties.
So do women.
But not many women end up in the place the men do.
I’m sure Tim will find some young starlet, who is eager to use him for money and fame, and then he and Johnny Depp, can bring their two golddiggers on double dates! How sweet!
If he gets with a younger woman after this I’m never watching his movies again.
What a childish statement.
I don’t think it is. She is allowed to boycott people whose lifestyle choices she doesn’t like. I think it’s smart. We should stop excusing people for their crappy integrity and making people famous who are idiots.
Erin
Now if Aminta said they weren’t going to watch a Burton movie again until he writes them a formal apology that would be childish. This is just a statement. Not childish at all.
Because you disagree doesn’t make the statement childish. And there’s no need to go accusing others of that or attacking posters.
She’s running off her with next door neighbour who happens to be younger, a lot sexier and pretty smashing 😜 (starts evil rumours) 💣
Can you imagine? Internet would shut DOWN.
Hmmm, she did go see Coriolanus twice…
That was my first reaction -who gets Tom!!
Pushing 50 and she has skin that gorgeous? England’s climate obviously has merit after all. Wear sunscreen, everybody!
“I hope they keep it amicable for the kids”
As is the case with most disintegrating relationships, I’d say the kids have already seen their parents tear each other to shreds on several occasions.
Yeah, but that’s a different beast from tearing each other to shreds during a divorce. My parents had massive fights constantly when I was a kid, and it definitely wasn’t good for me. But when they (finally!) divorced, they kept it completely civil, and have never spoken a bad word about each other in my presence since. That means I never really had to “recover” from their divorce, as it wasn’t traumatic for me, unlike many people I see whose parents put them through hell during and after divorces.
I get that. But why are people so concerned about keeping it amicable when they’re getting divorced when they were anything but amicable, in front of the kids, when they were married? Seems like the genie is already out of the bottle. Perhaps making it amicable would be a better phrase than keeping it amicable.
Btw, I know an Emily C who loves celebrity gossip, you’re not a nurse are you?
I remember seeing a greeting card once that said: “Wishing you a divorce that’s slightly less appalling than your marriage.”
Or as Louis C K put it, every divorce is good news, because happy marriages don’t end in divorce.
It’s sad that people can go from liking someone so much that they want to marry them to reaching a point where they hate their guts. Not saying that’s the case here though.
You cant hide a bad relationship.
I Wonder Who gets custody of Johnny Depp…
Merry christmas everyone! Have a joyful night with your loved ones!
Haha. Good one. I just hope this means we’re not going to see her in any more of Tim Burton’s movies and she gets back to doing more edgy stuff.
He gets custody of Johnny Depp; she gets custody of Tom Hiddleston.
I understand that Amber Heard may be in the market soon for a new sugar daddy and star maker…
Oh ick. I hope you’re not suggesting a swap (though stranger things have happened…).
I don’t think that would happen though. It is a very sad situation, but my inner b–ch says that if Tim were to get serious again he would choose someone who could raise his profile even more. And that, IMO, isn’t Amber Heard.
You could argue that Tim left Lisa Marie just as she was starting to age a tiny bit (even though she REALLY did inspire him and was in many of his movies) And that he got together with Helena because he loved her…and loved the immense acting talent Helena could bring to his movies. It always cheesed me off that Helena had to go the extra mile to prove that she was in Tim’s films because of her talent and not because she was sleeping with him. She was (and is) an immensely talented actress and she should never have been treated like that (in particular, for her role in Sweeney Todd). In many ways she’s more talented than him, which makes the whole thing ridiculous.
Ideally Tim will just date around and not commit to anyone right away. But look for someone who can help him professionally when he does decide to do that. Bah.
neither one seems to comb their hair…
You can’t comb curly/wavy hair or it gets frizzy. You must have greasy straight hair.
Ha! I am not the OP, but I would trade my greasy, straight hair any day for curly hair. (Although I can’t even manage my dog’s curly hair properly.)
It’s odd thinking of these two with other people because they appeared suited.
sadly no surprise. They had one of those “thespian open marriages”.
Helena and I were born on the same day of the same year. Glad to see she’s finally catching up with me…
*cough*