Helena Bonham Carter finds the "cruelty" of divorce "extraordinary".
Helena Bonham Carter
The ‘Crown’ actress split from longterm partner Tim Burton in 2014, and though it was initially “horrible” having to adjust to sharing custody of their son Billy, 16, and 12-year-old daughter Nell, she now “recommends” the benefits of separation because she enjoys having a break.
She said: “It’s taken us some time to adjust, but I think it’s really very good now. And the kids are fine, they get to have a dual life.
“At first it’s a horrible thing to get used to, not having your children around [when you share custody]. The cruelty of divorce is extraordinary.
“But then you get to a point where you’re like, ‘Oh, I get this week off!’ Some parts are very much to be recommended.”
The 54-year-old star won’t talk about the reasons behind their break-up, but confirmed it wasn’t her decision, though she also understands now that their 13-year relationship had run its course.
Asked why she left, she said: “Oh, I can’t talk about that. Good try, though! I have a responsibility to the children not to talk about it. As well as to Tim, I respect him. But I didn’t leave, put it that way.
“Although I will say this in the positive sense: I do think there’s a point where people fit for a certain time, sometimes, and if you can, you recognise that you’ve given what you can, and you’re going to stop each other from evolving, and if you can afford it, well… So. I was reluctant at first, let’s say.”
But the actress admitted it was tough having a break-up in the public eye and she believes that’s why she was cast as Princess Margaret in ‘The Crown’.
She said: “It was something I could relate to, that vulnerability. It’s a horrible thing to be in public and going through a personal fragmentation, and I’ve never been a pretender. The stiff upper lip, I find boring.”
Helena has now found love with “magic” Rye Dag Holmboe, 32, and she’s thrilled a chance encounter at a wedding led to them falling in love.
She told Guardian Weekend magazine: “I can’t say much about Rye, because he’s a psychoanalyst so he needs his anonymity.
“He’s magic, and that’s all I’m going to say. I met him at a wedding. A totally random thing, which both of us nearly didn’t go to, so it was one of those moments that was so chance and ended up determining so much. A really happy accident, and it’s an amazing thing.”
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