Helena Bonham Carter Humanized Elizabeth Taylor in ‘Burton & Taylor’
Helena Bonham Carter is one of Hollywood’s legends. The star has appeared in many movies, from playing the villain in Alice in Wonderland to a royal in The Crown. In 2013, Bonham Carter starred in Burton & Taylor, playing one of the most controversial figures in the entertainment industry.
Her performance as Elizabeth Taylor was stellar and served to humanize the actor in the movie.
Helena Bonham Carter was discouraged from playing Elizabeth Taylor
Bonham Carter’s performance received critical acclaim. Burton’s old friend, Robert Hardy, sang praises for the actor, saying, “She was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. She got the spirit of her and sounded like her.”
Vogue said of Bonham Carter’s performance, “[Bonham Carter] is Taylor at her most high maintenance and difficult, but also conveys her electrifying and captivating presence.” Bonham Carter told the outlet in 2013 that she almost passed up the role. She said, “I nearly didn’t take the role. When I first found out about it, I thought, ‘Elizabeth Taylor? I should run a mile.'”
Bonham Carter further shared that everyone around her, including her mother, warned her against it. She said, “Even my mum said, ‘Don’t touch that with a barge pole,'” before admitting that the script was what appealed to her. “It was such a touching, sweet story,” she said.
Bonham Carter was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, Satellite Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2013. In 2014, she was nominated for a British Academy Television Award, a Critics Choice Television Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. She never won any award for her role in Burton & Taylor.
Helena Bonham Carter humanized Elizabeth Taylor
Bonham Carter claimed a lot went into helping her look like the screen icon. However, she explained how she was able to bring Taylor back to life onscreen. She said:
“I had to forget about what she looked like and think about the woman. She was phenomenal. What was inside was extraordinary- which is impressive considering how beautiful she was on the outside.”
Bonham Carter described Taylor as “fun, witty, practical, clever and wise.” She said:
“[Taylor] had an amazing strength of character and was never a victim- She survived all those drugs, all that fame and drink – There will be no one like her ever again.”
‘Burton & Taylor’ followed the destructive relationship of the titular stars
Burton & Taylor is set in 1983 and centers around two of the biggest celebrities at the time, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The movie follows Taylor and Burton as they prepare to perform in a play called Private Lives.
Burton and Taylor have been married twice and divorced equally but have remained friends despite some tension between them. Taylor still dreams of the day they’ll reconcile, but Richard seems to have moved on and is dating a much younger actor, Sally Hay, which makes Taylor mad with envy.
Burton is in poor health and is working on his alcohol problem, while Taylor continues abusing drugs and drinks excessively. Taylor also makes the rehearsal process difficult by always arriving late and bringing her pets along.
Burton, on the other hand, is in his element, and after realizing that Taylor lacks confidence, he promises to help her throughout and help her manage her pill addiction. Elizabeth then learns that Burton and his girlfriend secretly got married, and she has an emotional breakdown. When the play ends, they admit to still being in love with one another, but Burton says having her in his life will end him.
They remain friends and always talk on the phone. Burton died in 1984 due to cerebral hemorrhage. Taylor avoided attending Burton’s funeral but was seen paying her respects the following day in private.
