The classic movie Helena Bonham Carter thought would “backfire”

(Credit: Alamy) Fri 11 October 2024 7:00, UK In the late 1990s, Helena Bonham Carter fought an uphill battle in Hollywood. The English actor shot to fame in the ’80s with roles in A Room with a View and Lady Jane, which led to her becoming one of the industry’s go-to period drama stars. With Hamlet, Where Angels Fear to Tread and Howards End, she became the queen of corsets – and quickly realised she hated that image. She wanted to make movies set in more modern times, but Hollywood resisted the idea – until she signed up for a film even she couldn’t help worrying would “backfire”.In 2010, Carter told The Guardian, “I was like the corset bimbo. Well, not quite bimbo, but you know what I mean. The corset sex symbol, I suppose.” This image was hugely damaging because, unless she wanted to make period dramas forever, Carter knew she would have to kick and scream against her perception. So kick and scream she did.“I have to struggle to change people’s…