Helena Bonham Carter is one of Britain's most diverse actresses, with a wide variety of roles under her belt. For her latest incarnation, the British star has taken on one of cinema's most iconic figures — Elizabeth Taylor. Helena, 47, is set to appear alongside Dominic West as Hollywood golden couple, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in a new one-off BBC biopic about the legendary screen stars. And this week the first picture of the pair in costume was released. Despite the enormity of the task at hand, both have risen to the challenge.
With her hair and makeup styled to replicate the glamorous brunette, King's Speech actress Helena looks every bit like violet-eyed Elizabeth. Her co-star, The Wire actor Dominic, 43, is no less convincing, bearing an uncanny likeness to the Welsh Oscar winner.Burton and Taylor will follow Elizabeth and Richard's private and public relationship set against the backdrop of their ill-fated appearance in the 1983 revival on Noel Coward's stage play, Private Lives.Their stint in the play was reportedly so fraught that the couple, who by then had already been married and divorced twice, are said to have finally come to terms with the fact that their tempestuous relationship was beyond repair.
The following year, Richard passed away at the age of 58. Elizabeth died in March 2011 aged 79.Richard and Elizabeth's famous love affair began on the set of Cleopatra, while they were both married to other people, and the couple tied the knot in 1964.Their first 10-year marriage needed in divorce in 1974, but they were married again the following year in a remote Botswana village. Iconic weddings: Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton