As we heard just before Christmas, Helena Bonham Carter & Tim Burton are over. They were together for 13 years and they have two kids together. It was sad, but not wholly unexpected. After all, it was a decent-sized scandal back in September/October 2013 when Tim was photographed kissing a then-unknown blonde woman. Now Page Six says that Tim and Helena were separated for more than a year before they announced their split last week.
Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter announced the end of their 13-year relationship last week, but sources tell Page Six that they’ve actually been living separate lives for more than a year and that both have had other lovers.
A source tells us: “Tim and Helena have been living separate lives for [more than] a year, and since they separated, they have both had other lovers. The separation announcement was made saying they’d split earlier this year, but they have been living apart for much longer.”
Despite some UK claims that Bonham Carter is in a “bad way” over the split, our source said: “Both parties are happy with the situation. It is perfectly amicable.”
If they’ve both had lovers over the past year, Helena has been way more discreet about it than Tim. And personally, I don’t buy the whole “they just grew apart, they both wanted to be with other people” explanation. I’m not saying Helena is completely devastated, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the separation was NOT her idea, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Tim had an affair and that’s what led to the separation. I don’t know for sure, obviously, but that’s just the general vibe I’m getting. Meanwhile, The Daily Mail has an ID on the mystery blonde makeout partner from last year.
When Hollywood couple Helena Bonham Carter and film director Tim Burton abruptly announced the end of their 13-year relationship last week, they insisted the split was amicable. The eccentric pair, whose joint fortune is estimated at £80 million, even put on a united front for Christmas when they went for a stroll in London with their two children, Billy Ray, 11, and Nell, six. But now The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Burton, 56, is already involved in a long-term relationship with Berenice Percival, a production assistant who has been working for him for three years.
The 39-year-old mother of one has been identified as the mystery blonde pictured in a passionate embrace with the Edward Scissorhands director last year after a cinema trip in Hampstead, North London. She is said by friends to have been an important factor in the separation. Sources close to Bonham Carter and Burton said that the actress had fought to save their relationship.
One added: ‘She thought Tim was having a midlife crisis and gave him room to get it out of his system. But it never happened so she reluctantly decided to end things.’
The break-up has apparently divided friends in the film industry, many of whom have thrown their support behind the quirky 48-year-old actress. Burton and Ms Percival, meanwhile, are believed to have been staying at a London house with her nine-year-old son.
‘Berenice is telling friends that they’re happy, in love and that she sees a future with Tim,’ said the friend. ‘He has been caring and a lovely father figure to her son. She refers to Tim as her boyfriend.’
Ms Percival began working for Tim Burton Productions between late 2011 and 2012 after being introduced by members of Johnny Depp’s support team. She had been an assistant on several of Depp’s films, including Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and Sweeney Todd, which were both directed by Burton and starred Bonham Carter. Initially, Ms Percival dealt with basic administration but later began to arrange foreign travel for Burton and accompany him on business trips. Their relationship took off when they travelled to Vancouver. ‘They were there for a few days,’ a source said. ‘They stayed out late and drank tequila.’
Another source added: ‘Berenice and Tim have just returned from San Francisco and will start shooting a new film in the New Year. It’s business as usual for them.’
When contacted by The Mail on Sunday, Ms Percival made no comment. Representatives for Mr Burton did not respond to our enquiries.
Yep, that sounds about right. And while I feel sympathy for Helena, I kind of have my doubts that she’s got most of Hollywood and London on her side. Tim Burton is a much-beloved director, you know? Besides, I doubt most adults feel the need to “take a side” in this situation. Even if this whole thing does reek of Scarfy-esque mid-life crisis.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Ew. I hope Helena finds someone deserving of her this time around.
I think we have to take celeb divorces and the tabloid stories around them with a huge grain of salt.
First of all, we need to accept that we will never know a lot of the details in regards to “why”. Sometimes it is cheating, but other pitfalls that normal relationships fall into can also be the culprit (they grow a part, they feel more like friends than lovers, one is verbally abusive, one has a substance abuse problem, etc.). It might not be obvious which is more “at fault” and sometimes there is no one at fault.
Also, by the time the gossip community hears about these things, it has been many months (sometimes years) in the making. By the time they actually “file” for divorce or release a statement about separation, there has already been discussions about divorce, financial planning, child custody and arrangement discussions, etc. So, for example, maybe we hear that they are breaking up on 2014, but they have been planning it since 2013 or 2012.
Great comment Tiffany. Same as with real life. But most people in real life won’t have their personal life blared everywhere, so just imagine how much more preparation goes into it (especially via publicists, etc) when you’re famous. The only surprise divorce/separation I can think of is Tom Cruise/Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes…lol. But both involved a degree of secrecy and planning for at least a year.
Yeah but the thing is, when Helena first started with Tim – he was engaged, so I don’t feel sorry so much for her (he’s repeating his pattern, imo). I mean with all due respect.
You’re still gonna die one day, Tim. Go back to your kids and be their role model, ffs.
He wouldn’t live with his kids and their mother, but he will live with this woman and her son? Helena, good riddance.
I thought that was odd as well.
Excellent statement and I completely agree. I feel bad for Helena, but despite her quirky way of dressing, etc., she’s quite a beautiful woman and very talented. I hope she finds someone who appreciates her and treats her as she deserves. As for him… be careful what you ask for, you just might get it. Just ask Johnny Depp how that’s working out for him.
agreed. sort of like depp – never married the mother of his kids (not that they had to get married or anything), but is engaged to his younger current piece. sort of… odd.
I thought the not living together thing (or rather, living in houses joined together) was Helena’s idea? She talked a lot about hating his snoring and finding him messy. Either way, I don’t think anyone needs to feel sorry for her. She got involved with Branagh when he was married to Emma Thompson, then got involved with Burton when he was with someone else … what goes around comes around.
Didn’t she break up Kenneth Brannagh’s marriage to Emma Thompson back in the day? Ironic. I’m not feeling too sorry for her.
Yes, Brannagh cheated on Thompson with HBC. She didn’t break up the marriage – he did. She was a willful participant but the onus is on him.
Yes. I was just writing that in comment.
Yes, and Tim was still with Lisa Marie when HBC came into the picture, so I can’t feel sorry for any of them. Just the kids, like always, will suffer.
Please. Thompson was cheating on him as well, it is a well known thing. Tim was with his long time girlfriend when he got together with Lisa Marie. Relationship between two adults rarely comes without some prior history. That does not negate 13 years and two children together. Or do you actually judge everyone, who had a girlfriend when he fell in love with his wife? People are entitled to fall out of love, dump their girlfriend and be with someone they love. That is normal and honest.
@captain: I don’t understand your point regarding my comment. It simply agrees with the original comment by @OTHER RENEE. There’s nothing judgemental about it, just facts. And because of those facts, I don’t feel sorry for these two.
Who praytell was Thompson cheating with? Anyway, I think with Greg Wise, she got the best of the deal.
Yes, I love that “Eleanor” ended up with “Willoughby.”
The original Bermuda triangle!
Johnny must have been directing Tim on this one
I think this is Tim’s pattern….he seems to have long relationships, Lisa Marie….then ( marriage with Helena) then leaves when he meets his new muse or new woman who he fancies. Sad with children involved though.
Seriously…who gets Johnny Depp?
Tim gets Johnny. Helena gets Tom Hiddleston.
In that case, I’ll have what she’s having!
Seriously, that’s no choice at all for me. And I suspect he is a good listener, when that’s what’s needed.
That was my first thought when I heard this news and now I want it to happen so much. A toyboy for Helena and a sexy older woman for Tom. Win-win. Plus awesome.
These old effers!! Why do they even bother to have children?
He seems to find a new woman or muse about every decade. I think he was with actress Lisa Marie, for years until he met Helena?
He didn’t marry the others though. It’s sad to see he and Helena split after so many years.
P.S. Weren’t there rumours Helena was a culprit in the split-divorce of the marriage of another actress and her husband years ago? Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson?
If I’m not mistaken, Helena had a reputation of taking men that weren’t exactly in a position to be taken. Ask Emma Thompson. I would never condone a man leaving his family, ever. There is some Karma coming into play here, I’m afraid.
Yes.
Unless you are accusing her of being a kidnapper, I’d have to disagree with this idea that anyone is “taking” another human being. It takes two to tango.
Helena played a fabulous Elizabeth Taylor. Amazing job and beautiful.
If I remember correctly, they never lived together. Since their inception as a married family, haven’t they occupied two adjoining houses? I remember reading, although located right next to each other, Tim and Helena have always lived in separate houses b/c they’re both so eccentric that they couldn’t even live together from the get-go.
They were never legally married.
I’ve always thought they were well suited for each other. Shows what I know I guess. It seems like Hollywood relationships just don’t last. It also seems when one follows this gossip that there’s a lot of Hanky Panky at work and/or with co workers.
I think she and their neighbour Tom Hiddleston get along quite well. She came to Coriolanus twice once with Tim and once on her own. From what I heard she was quite vocal and burst out laughing when he was strung up by his feet, She spoke to someone in the bar and was very friendly suggesting it needed notes for those who could not follow it.I love that she is so out there and fun.
Eh, I don’t see how/why it has to be that Helena’s the victim in this instance. Both she and Tim Burton both have the proven rep of strolling for strange while in relationships. So I don’t get why Tim is automatically seen as the bad guy.
I will never understand why people who know they like to play the field go around and have kids, married or not. And if you do commit to have children with a partner, unless there is a serious issue like abuse or alcoholism or drugs, ffs why can’t you keep your pants zipped and make it work? I am old fashioned that way, I think kids need two parents living with them, raising them together… I know sometimes it is unavoidable to get divorced and of course some of the children of divorced parents thrive anyway, but I find it sad. The kids of divorced couples I happen to know are all without exception strongly affected by it, regardless of how well of the families are. (Sure, money means it’s easier to maintain a standard of living after a split but it does not solve everything.) I don’t mean to offend anyone by this comment – I know that you can never really judge a situation from the outside; I just feel for the children.
Cheating is bad, but falling for the help is, too. Ethan Hawke, Kelsey Grammer… suggests a man wants a servile partner, not a peer.
That said, those women may start out that way but turn out quite steely in the end. Also maybe sometimes a civilian is preferable to a high-strung, navel-gazing thespian; male or female.
“The help” is paid to listen. So the guy whose wife is tired of him gets a sympathetic ear. I’m not saying it’s right, it’s just what happens. I don’t blame them for living in separate houses, there is at least one Amazon culture that does that (with the guys living communally and the women living in another community). With the stuff I clean up all the time, I could get into that!
It takes effort to keep a marriage going and everybody’s been sold on this starry-eyed Hollywood crap about things just working out if you’re in love. The sign of actually loving someone is to stick around and work at your relationship (if they’re not abusive). Some people mate for life some people are just serial monogamists….
“some people mate for life and some people are just serial monogomists”
Very true but often the two get confused
I thought Kelsey Grammer married a women working a job at an Airline. How is that the help?
What is it with this guy, he gets to a certain point and swaps out his current partner for a newer, younger one every decade or so. Lisa Marie, to HBC, to the new girl. Hope she knows it’s not likely to get much further than the 10 year mark. Skeevy old man.
On behalf of Vancouver, I would like to apologize to all the showbusiness women whose relationships have been ended because of Brandi’s strip bar and our other seductive temptations.
Come to think of it, I would also like to apologize for the existence of Gigli. We would have stopped it if we knew…
most adults wouldnt feel the need to “take a side” if one partner and parent has been cheating?
what an odd, odd thing to say.
Maybe that old idea of pinning someone as going stready, then an engagement period of at least a year, and then wedding rings were one way of letting someone else know you were taken. These days it doesnt seem to matter and all is fair game, but if both men and women were to respect those old symbols and not to flirt or go after anyone alreayd hooked up…that would go a long way. Twice in my life, I have fallen in love with a married man, and both those times, I cut it out from the start. Sometimes I think I made a mistake in all honesty, as I dont think I will even know true romantic love but I know I did the right thing and it is not always fun and happy and easy to do the right thing. One needs to think of the whole big picture, the spouse wronged, the children, the extended family and the elders, the community and even the church if one goes to church. It is not just about you and the other person. Also, it may not last, and then you are not even happy and have done all that upset and damage to others and to institutions.