Helena Bonham Carter Talks Tim Burton Split and Debunks the Biggest Myth About Their Relationship

Helena Bonham Carter calls her 13-year romance with Tim Burton, which ended in 2014, a ‘massive gift.’ (Getty Images)

Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton are figuring out how to continue collaborating.

The quirky star opened up about her split — after 13 years of unwedded bliss and two children (Billy, 12, and Nell, 7) — from the director, whom she parted ways with last year, calling it “a gift — a massive gift.”

“I could write a thesis on what’s happened and it is all-absorbing when a relationship breaks down, but I think we’re coming through it, and I think we’ll have something very precious still,” the British actress, 49, told Red magazine. “Our relationship was always somewhat special, and I think it’ll always remain special.”

Carter, who first met Burton, 57, when he directed her in 2001’s Planet of the Apes and went on to collaborate with him in many other films, continued, “We did find each other. And really, the mark of a successful relationship shouldn’t be whether you’re there forever after. Sometimes you’re not meant to be forever together. Sometimes you have to come to terms with the fact that that was it. But that was a gift, a massive gift. We gave each other children and a lot more else. And we might be better, and still be able to give to each other, but not necessarily living together.”

Carter is on the cover of Red magazine’s November issue. (Red magazine)

Carter then debunked the biggest misconception about their relationship: that they lived apart in separate homes.

“We did [live together] by the way, because everyone seemed to think we didn’t, but that was a load of myth,” said the star of the upcoming movie Suffragette.

Next year, Carter turns 50 and she is trying to keep an equally positive outlook on that, though she admits its been hard, especially as her kids grow up so quickly.

“We’re getting dilapidated, but you can’t control that, so why worry?” she quipped. “I’m more conscious of the kids’ childhood going, because that goes so fast, it’s a bit like watching one of those time lapses. There’s no pressing pause.”

Carter added, “You’ve just got to say goodbye all the time, but also say hello. You must remember to say hello. So I’m going to say hello to my 5-0 — because otherwise when I’m 60 I’ll be going, ‘Oh, you should’ve enjoyed your fifties.’”

May she say hello to lots of great things in the decade ahead.