Actress Helena Bonham Carter has candidly discussed the reason she and long-term partner Tim Burton never married during their 13-year relationship. The 59-year-old star of The Crown shared her unconventional views on commitment and the challenges of her neurodiversity in a recent podcast appearance.
An Unconventional View on Marriage
Speaking on the Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud podcast, Bonham Carter revealed that she consciously avoided marriage with the celebrated Hollywood director. "I've never actually gotten married because I can't honestly make that promise because I just don't think it's a healthy one," she stated. The couple, who share two children—Billy, 22, and Nell, 17—parted ways in 2014 after meeting on the set of Burton's 2001 film, Planet of the Apes.
Throughout their time together, they were known for their unique living arrangement, maintaining separate but adjoining homes in north London connected by a hallway. She has previously said this setup worked perfectly for them, despite raising eyebrows in Hollywood.
The Impact of ADHD on Relationships
In the same interview, Bonham Carter spoke for the first time about being neurodiverse, admitting her Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) presented significant challenges. She suggested that the condition made the mere idea of planning a wedding overwhelming.
"I've got ADHD, so the idea of organising a wedding... I mean, it would both be a great thing, but I would be so flipping obsessive about every single choice," she explained. "It would just be like, oh my god." She acknowledged that ADHD has been a factor in her relationships more broadly.
Navigating a 'Divorce' and Moving Forward
Reflecting on the end of their relationship, which she colloquially refers to as a 'divorce', Bonham Carter credited her close friends with helping her through the transition. "I was incredibly grateful for my friendships," she said. "I think maybe my appreciation of them got bigger because they survived and supported me through this huge sea change."
She also highlighted the importance of her children and the support of other families during that period, feeling she had to "hitchhike on other people's families." She added philosophically, "if you don't fit each other, it takes a lot of bravery, but it's better to move than stop each other from going. We're not meant to be forever."
Since the split, Bonham Carter has found happiness with Norwegian art historian Rye Dag Holmboe, 37. The couple, who have been together since 2018, enjoy a more private life. Meanwhile, Tim Burton, 67, briefly dated Italian actress Monica Bellucci, 61, from 2022 until their amicable split in autumn this year.
