Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes have more in common than just playing evil wizards Bellatrix and Voldemort in the Harry Potter film franchise: They have also both recently defended Potter tác giả J.K. Rowling, who has come under fire for repeated comments in recent years that many have perceived as transphobic.
In October, Fiennes said that the “abuse” Rowling receives is “appalling.” In a new interview with The Times, Bonham Carter added her voice to tư vấn Rowling.
“It’s horrendous, a load of bollocks. I think she has been hounded,” Bonham Carter said of the popular reaction to Rowling’s comments. “It’s been taken khổng lồ the extreme, the judgmentalism of people. She’s allowed her opinion, particularly if she’s suffered abuse. Everybody carries their own history of trauma & forms their opinions from that trauma, & you have lớn respect where people come from & their pain. You don’t all have to lớn agree on everything—that would be insane and boring. She’s not meaning it aggressively, she’s just saying something out of her own experience.”
When asked about other franchise stars who have spoken out against Rowling’s statements—including Daniel Radcliffe, who wrote a blog post for LGBTQ advocacy organization the Trevor Project in response—Bonham Carter said, “I think they’re very aware of protecting their own fan base và their generation.”
She also threw her support behind another controversial figure with ties to lớn the Potter universe: Johnny Depp. Bạn đang xem: Helena bonham carter
Too movement.
She also shared her thoughts about cancel culture, saying, “There would be millions of people who if you looked closely enough at their personal life you would disqualify them. You can’t ban people. I hate cancel culture. It has become quite hysterical and there’s a kind of witch hunt & a lack of understanding.”
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
Most Popular
Kase Wickman
Contributing Editor
Kase Wickman is a frequent contributor to lớn Vanity Fair. She’s the author of the book, Bring It On: The Complete Story of the Cheerleading Movie That Changed, Like, Everything (No, Seriously) from Chicago reviews Press. Her work has appeared in The thủ đô new york Times, New York magazine,... Read more
Movies TV Reality TV Gaming Tech Comics Anime More
No one else could play Bellatrix Lestrange other than Helena Bonham Carter & she gets certain mannerisms from the books just right.
The upcoming release of the new Harry Potter game, Hogwarts Legacy, is a timely reminder that there is still a great khuyễn mãi giảm giá of magic in this venerable franchise. The characters created by J.K. Rowling and brought lớn life on the big screen continue to exert a powerful hold on the popular culture imagination.
Of all the villains that appear in the Harry Potter saga, Bellatrix Lestrange is one of the most sinister, particularly as portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter. In fact, Carter excels at capturing so many of the mannerisms that make this particular villain stand out from the rest.
Obviously, Voldermort is one of the most evil of fantasy villains. What makes him so truly frightening, however, is the loyalty that he commands from his Death Eaters, và there are few who are more fanatically committed khổng lồ his cause than Bellatrix.
RELATED: 10 Hilarious Quotes That Sum Up The Weasleys
This is something that Carter manages to capture exceedingly well. Any time that she is on-screen with Ralph Fiennes’ Voldemort, it’s clear just how much she has bought into his vision of what the world should look like. Whatever happens in the films, Voldemort knows that he can count on her devotion.
Readers and film viewers know that Bellatrix is a thành viên of one of the most prominent and powerful wizarding families. Thus, it makes sense that Bellatrix would have a rather close bond with her sister, Narcissa (herself one of the movies’ most compelling characters).
Helena Bonham Carter manages lớn convey just how surprisingly close they were. Given that Bellatrix can be rather cold & cruel to lớn most people, it’s to lớn the actress’ credit that she does give viewers a sense that there are a very few people that she genuinely seems to care about.
Bellarix was one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter world. However, her skills were almost always committed lớn killing và maiming others, và she seemed lớn take an extraordinary amount of delight in inflicting pain on others.
In the movies, Carter captures this element of Bellatrix’s personality with almost uncanny precision. It’s clear from her interactions with Harry và his friends that she takes an active pleasure in harming those that Harry loves. This is ultimately what brings about her doom, when Molly Weasley stops her from harming Ginny.
The death of Sirius was one of the most heartbreaking deaths in the Harry Potter books or movies. It is rendered all the more horrifying by the fact that it was his own cousin who was responsible for the deed.
It’s very clear in both the movie & the books that Bellatrix is actively glad about what she’s done. Carter allows the viewer lớn see this, as she takes a sadistic glee in tormenting Harry about what she has done. This is just another aspect of her character that reminds the viewer & Harry of just what sort of depraved evil they are dealing with.
Xem thêm: Địa Lý, Sự Kiện Và Lịch Sử Đất Nước Syria, Lịch Sử Syria Qua Những Cuộc Chiến Tranh
For Bellatrix, it wasn’t enough to just serve Voldemort. She also had khổng lồ totally pour herself into service to him and to the blood purity in which he believed so intently.
RELATED: 10 Popular Harry Potter Characters That Redditors Despise
Throughout her time in the series, Carter’s Bellatrix makes it clear that she has the same zealous attitude as her book counterpart. It’s there in the way that her eyes glint & gleam any time she sees Voldemort. Just as importantly, it is also there in the undisguised contempt with which she treats anyone that she deems lớn be below her in station (which is lớn say, almost everyone).
In the books, it’s very clear that Bellatrix wears her arrogance like a suit of armor. It is what makes her such a frightening foe, since she moves through the world as if she owns it.
Carter excels at capturing this particular aspect of Bellatrix’s mien. Every time that she is on the screen, the viewer is left in no doubt that this is someone who truly does believe that they are better than almost anyone else, whether they be wizard, witch, or muggle. Though it’s what makes her villainous, it’s also why she is impossible lớn look away from.
While she might be an exceptionally skilled witch, the truth is that Bellatrix has a number of personality flaws which sometimes undercut her own efforts. Among other things, she was notorious for having a short temper, & she showed no interest in trying khổng lồ restrain this particular aspect of her personality.
Throughout the movie series, this is something that Carter manages to lớn convey with remarkable skill. There’s a flash to her eyes that frequently makes itself felt, và one gets the feeling that all it will take is the most minor of inconveniences for her khổng lồ burst into another bout of rage.
Given that she emerged from one of the most powerful wizarding families, it makes sense that Bellatrix would be one of those who is particularly obsessed with blood purity. Lượt thích the Malfoys & others, she looks down on anyone who doesn’t have the same attitude as she does.
RELATED: 10 Harry Potter/Hunger Games Friendships That Would Be Great
This emerges very frequently with Carter’s interpretation of the character, và it meshes well with her general hauteur and arrogance. One gets the sense from looking at Bellatrix that she looks down on literally everyone except for Voldemort, whom she continues to lớn hold in the highest regard.
There are many intelligent characters in Harry Potter. While she is definitely an evil person, it still has lớn be said that Bellatrix is one of the smartest characters in the series.
Unsurprisingly, given her own considerable acting talents, this is something that Helena Bonham Carter manages to convey. She leaves the audience in no doubt that there is a shrewd and cunning mind, that for Bellatrix her wit is something that can also be used as a weapon. As is so often the case with this character, there is nothing that she won’t be able to use against her enemies.
like the bravest Harry Potter characters, Bellatrix isn’t afraid to lớn throw herself into the middle of a battle. After all, when it comes khổng lồ her master Voldemort, there is very little that she won’t vị to ensure that his best interests are being served.
From the moment that she appears, this is something that is very ably captured by Carter. She gives viewers a character who is almost suicidal in her devotion lớn armed combat. No matter how much she might be putting herself at risk, there is little that she won’t vì chưng in the pursuit of her master’s dark desires.
NEXT: 10 Death Eaters Fans Could Beat In A Fight
Thomas J. West III earned a Ph
D in film and screen studies from Syracuse University in 2018. His writing on film, TV, & popular culture has appeared in Screenology, Fan
Fare, Primetimer, Cinemania, và in a number of scholarly journals và edited collections. He co-hosts the Queens of the B"s podcast with Mark Muster & writes a regular newsletter, Omnivorous, on Substack.
