Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton have announced the end of their 13-year relationship, bringing to an end one of Hollywood’s most famous partnerships. The couple, who have two children together but never married, decided to "separate amicably" earlier this year, a spokesperson for the actress confirmed.
The pair have "continued to be friends and co-parent their children" – just this week they were seen together at Cats the Musical at the London Palladium.
Helena, 48, and Tim, 56, first met when he directed her in the 2001 film Planet of the Apes. Since then, they have gone on to team up in a number of hit films, including Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Dark Shadows. They were known for their touching, if unconventional romance. For years, the couple famously lived in separate houses next door to each other, something Helena said worked well for them and their children, Billy, 11, and Nell, six.
"It really is a great idea," she told the Guardian in 2010. "You never have to compromise emotionally or feel invaded." She added, "He always visits…. He's always coming over."