You have seen her in Sweeney Todd, Harry Potter, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish, Live from Baghdad, Planet of the Apes, and Fight Club to name a few. You have heard her in both Wallace & Gromit movies and Corpse Bride.

Carter’s popularity is due to her dark gothic roles. Though her long resume is sprinkled with some lighter roles, it seems she is the current Queen of Goth.

She shows you the best way to get rid of a dead body in Sweeney Todd while sporting a corset. She plays two sides of a witch in both Harry Potter and Big Fish. She plays a unashamed low-life in Fight Club. And she is fun to watch in all these roles.

But there is more to her depth. Carter can make us believe she is a sweet mother in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Or an empathetic researcher in Planet of the Apes (2001).

That is the reason Helena Bonham Carter is a good actress. She does not stick to the same bland roles. While she does well working in Tim Burton’s dark world (along with Johnny Depp), she can play different roles. She can play a range of characters and make you believe she is that person on screen.

That is my definition of a good actress.