“Helena and I made our peace”: Harry Potter Star Forgave Helena Bonham Carter For Having an Affair With Her Husband and Ruining Their Marriage

Helena Bonham Carter is a name synonymous with eccentricity, bold outfits, and a penchant for quirky roles. But her personal life, too, has been no less dramatic, filled with its own twists and turns. One particularly colorful chapter began in 1994 when she became romantically involved with Kenneth Branagh on the set of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Kenneth Branagh & Emma Thompson in Dead Again (1991) | Credit: Paramount Pictures

But wait…this was a classic love triangle. Well, Branagh was still married to Emma Thompson at the time. The affair concluded not only in significant emotional upheaval for the Harry Potter actress but ultimately led to the end of her marriage in 1995.

Thompson, however, being the high road-taker extraordinaire, later stated in a 2013 interview that she’s no longer interested in revisiting old conflicts as she made peace with Bonham Carter long ago.

The Surprising Truth Behind Emma Thompson & Kenneth Branagh’s Split

After two years of playing the romantic game, Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh took the plunge and tied the knot in 1989 (see US Magazine). They became the quintessential showbiz couple, sharing the screen in several films, including Dead Again, Henry V, and Much Ado About Nothing.

But as they say, not everything that shines is a diamond. In 1995, the couple announced their separation, attributing it to their hectic work schedules. Their joint statement read: “Our work has inevitably led to our spending long periods of time away from each other, and as a result, we have drifted apart,” according to The New York Times. 

Kenneth Branagh & Emma Thompson in Dead Again | Credit: Paramount Pictures

However, as it often happens in Hollywood, the truth was a bit more tangled. Thompson later spilled the beans to The New Yorker, revealing that the real reason for their split was Branagh’s off-screen affair with Helena Bonham Carter, who was co-starring with him in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The former, 65, confessed:

I was utterly, utterly blind to the fact that he had relationships with other women on set. What I learned was how easy it is to be blinded by your own desire to deceive yourself.

During this rocky period, Thompson felt as if she was “half alive,” and any sense of being lovable or worthy had vanished. Thankfully, actor Greg Wise came into her life while she was working on Sense & Sensibility. They eventually tied the knot in 2003, proving that love can bloom even after a storm.

As she told The New Yorker, she learned more from her “second marriage” simply by being married. 

Moving On: Emma Thompson Gave Helena Bonham Carter a Fresh Start

Despite the pain of the past, Emma Thompson has made peace with both Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter in the years since. By 2013, the former had moved on, expressing the following in an interview with The Telegraph: 

Oh we are. Being slightly mad and a bit fashion-challenged. Perhaps that’s why Ken loved us both… Helena and I made our peace years and years ago.

Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein | Credit: TriStar Pictures

She also described the affair as “blood under the bridge,” emphasizing that holding onto past grievances was pointless. Bonham Carter echoed this sentiment during a 2020 interview with The Guardian, using the phrase “blood under the bridge” to describe her past with Branagh:

Ken avoided directing me once we were together because it can be complicated and I think he didn’t want—anyway, that’s all blood under the bridge.  

Note that Branagh and Bonham Carter’s relationship lasted for five years before they called it quits in 1999. The former went on to marry art director Lindsay Brunnock in 2003, while Bonham Carter enjoyed a decade-long relationship with Tim Burton, which ended in 2014 (see Independent).

She referred to their split as “divorce,” explaining that, even if you’re not legally married, having children can turn any relationship into a never-ending saga. As for Thompson, her career kept hitting all the right notes with roles in Harry Potter, Men in Black 3, Brave, and Beauty and the Beast.