Helena Bonham Carter convinces as Miss Havisham for Great Expectations

Helena Bonham Carter may be significantly younger than Great Expectations’...

15:34 18 August 2012

Helena Bonham Carter may be significantly younger than Great Expectations’ jilted bride Miss Havisham, but it appears this did not keep her from making the role in an upcoming adaptation her own.

 

Bonham Carter can be seen looking as decrepit and haggard as Miss Havisham in the trailer for the most recent film adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel. 

 

The talented actress was seen with huge bags under her eyes, a wretched facial expression, and a pale gray pallor. She was wearing the wedding dress that her character wore when she was left at the altar. The star did not seem to have any problems capturing her character’s inner torment in her acting. 

 

Helena, 49, could use some more wrinkles and visibly older skin, though, as Miss Havisham was described in the novel as significantly aged. This has been a common problem in recent adaptations of the novel since increasingly younger actresses are being cast in the role of the spinster. The long line of younger stars who took on the role includes Charlotte Rampling and Gillian Anderson. Charlotte was 53 while Gillian was 43 when they took the roles. 

 

The film adaptation will be shown next month at the Toronto International Film Festival and is slated for release in November. Aside from Bonham Carter, it will star Ralph Fiennes and Robbie Coltrane. The lead roles of Pip and Estella will be played by Jeremy Irvine and Holliday Granger, respectively.