The actress loved the script so much that she was ready to take the role at any cost.
Helena Bonham Carter was not only Tim Burton’s partner, but also his muse. Carter starred in almost all of his films and fit his gothic, dreamy style perfectly.
One of the most notable collaborations between Carter and Burton was the film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, in which the actress played Mrs. Lovett.
Miss Lovett is a childless widow who has gone slightly crazy not only out of grief but also out of love for Sweeney Todd. She helped the murderer dispose of the victims’ bodies and place them in their cakes.
In Sweeney Todd, Helena had to sing all by herself, even though she had never sung in a film before.
Many may think that Carter was only cast because she dated Tim Burton, but she actually auditioned for Sweeney Todd.
It was only when Helena saw the script that she realized she wanted the role, after which Burton told her that she would have to audition like everyone else to get the part. Needless to say, the actress convinced the casting director and got the role she wanted.
But as the actress herself noted, she wanted to play Mrs. Lovett so badly that if she hadn’t succeeded, she would have divorced Burton:
“I auditioned for my role – although I would have divorced Tim if I hadn’t got it. In fact, we’re not even married yet, but I would have divorced him anyway.”
Helena Bonham Carter, who has appeared in seven of Burton’s films, is the director’s second favorite actress (after Johnny Depp, of course). Carter appeared in almost all of Burton’s films during their partnership between 2001 and 2014.
Helena Bonham Carter starred in Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes as Ari, Big Fish as Jenny/The Witch, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as Mrs. Bucket, Corpse Bride as the voice of Emily, Alice in Wonderland as Red Queen and Dark Shadows as Dr. Julia Hoffman.
Source: Irish Examiner