by Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter first met on the set of Tim Burton’s 2007 film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Depp played the titular character Sweeney Todd, a barber who murders his customers, while Bonham Carter took on the role of Mrs. Lovett, Todd’s accomplice who helps dispose of the bodies.
It was the first of many collaborations between Depp, Bonham Carter, and director Tim Burton. The dark and macabre tone of Sweeney Todd likely appealed to both actors’ tendencies towards quirky and unusual roles. Working together on such an eccentric film no doubt helped foster an initial bond between Depp and Bonham Carter.
After Sweeney Todd, the two went on to star alongside each other in two more Tim Burton films – Alice in Wonderland in 2010 and Dark Shadows in 2012. In Alice in Wonderland, Depp played the Mad Hatter while Bonham Carter inhabited the role of the Red Queen. Their characters engaged in many memorable scenes together throughout the fantasy adventure.
Then in Dark Shadows, a horror comedy based on the 1960s TV series, Depp took on the lead role of vampire Barnabas Collins and Bonham Carter played Angelique Bouchard, Collins’ former lover turned witch. Their characters’ tumultuous past provided the dramatic core of the film’s storyline.
Collaborating on multiple Tim Burton productions clearly helped cement Depp and Bonham Carter’s working relationship and off-screen friendship. Being part of Burton’s artistic vision for so many years fostered a bond between the actors through their appreciation for his unique cinematic style and willingness to take on unconventional roles. The long-standing professional relationship in turn allowed their personal friendship to deepen over time.
A Shared Love for the Unconventional
Beyond just their collaborations with Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter also connected through a mutual appreciation for projects and roles that fall outside the mainstream. Both are known for making daring artistic choices that embrace the peculiar and offbeat.
Depp in particular has built a career taking on unusual and transformative parts that push creative boundaries. From Edward Scissorhands to Willy Wonka to Sweeney Todd, his roles often involve elaborate make-up, costume, or mannerism changes. Bonham Carter similarly throws herself fully into eccentric characters, such as her tour de force performance as British politician Marla Singer in Fight Club.
This shared love of experimentation no doubt sparked rapport between Depp and Bonham Carter. They could relate to the thrill of inhabiting strange personas and telling unconventional stories outside the Hollywood formula. There is a sense of camaraderie in willingly taking artistic risks, and their friendship was likely strengthened by a mutual understanding of this creative impulse.
Beyond their film work, Depp and Bonham Carter also connect through their eclectic personal styles. Depp in particular is known for his rockstar fashion sense and Bonham Carter has made unconventional fashion choices part of her public image as well over the years. This kindred spirit approach to self-expression likely provided another point of connection in their off-screen relationship.
Loyalty and Support
Throughout their long professional relationship and friendship, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter have consistently supported each other both personally and professionally. Depp served as godfather to Bonham Carter’s two children, Billy and Nell, whom she had with partner Tim Burton during their 13-year relationship that ended in 2014.
This gesture speaks volumes about the level of trust and care between Depp and Bonham Carter. For Depp to take on such an important familial role for Bonham Carter and Burton’s children shows a deep level of commitment to their friendship beyond just working together. It suggests Depp sees Bonham Carter as close family regardless of romantic involvement.
In turn, Bonham Carter has been fiercely loyal to Depp amid controversies. When Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard made domestic abuse allegations against him in 2016, Bonham Carter publicly defended her friend. She said the accusations did not align with the kind and loving person she knows Depp to be.
This vocal support meant a great deal to Depp during a tumultuous time. It demonstrated Bonham Carter’s willingness to stand by his side no matter the circumstance, valuing their friendship over any external pressures. Their bond has clearly weathered challenges with compassion and understanding on both sides.
A Lasting Creative Partnership
Despite no longer collaborating regularly with Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter’s friendship has endured well over a decade since they first met on Sweeney Todd. This is a testament to the genuine care and respect between them that goes beyond any single project or director.
In fact, Depp and Bonham Carter have found ways to continue working together creatively even without Burton at the helm. In 2016, they lent their voices to the stop-motion animated film Kubo and the Two Strings, with Depp playing the title role of Kubo and Bonham Carter starring as Monkey.
Most recently in 2020, they reunited onscreen for the first time since Dark Shadows in the crime drama Minamata. Directed by and starring Depp as war photographer W. Eugene Smith, Bonham Carter took the role of Smith’s wife Aileen. Their natural chemistry was on full display despite the nearly decade-long gap since their last film together.
Off screen as well, Depp and Bonham Carter have maintained a close friendship over the years. They are regularly photographed catching up and supporting each other’s projects at industry events. Bonham Carter has spoken fondly about their bond in interviews, emphasizing Depp’s kindness, humor and creativity.
Clearly their connection runs deep, founded on mutual appreciation for each other’s artistry as well as their personal qualities. Even as their careers and lives evolve separately, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter’s friendship forged in Tim Burton’s imaginative worlds has proven remarkably resilient. It stands as a testament to the power of creative collaboration and understanding between colleagues who became fast friends.
