Nell Burton Is a Child Actress Whose Parents Tim Burton & Helena Bonham Carter Took 7 Months to Name Her after Birth (2024)

Nell Burton is the only daughter and youngest child of Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter, who inspired her mother's role in "Alice in Wonderland."

Tim Burton and Helena Bonham have kept their personal lives private for several years, including their children's personal information.

The two high-profile figures often separate their work from personal life and rarely appear with their kids in public, let alone talk about them in interviews.

Tim Burton, Billy Burton, and Nell Burton during the "Dumbo" European premiere at The Curzon Mayfair on March 21, 2019, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images

However, the duo revealed their youngest child's name months after she was born and amidst speculation that her name was Indiana Rose.

Helena Bonham Carter Reveals Her Daughter's Name

Born on December 15, 2007, in London, Burton and Bonham had difficulty deciding on their child's name. However, seven months later, the "Harry Potter" star confirmed her daughter's name during an interview with the Jewish Journal.

The couple named their youngest child Nell after "all the Helens in the family. Bonham's grandmother's name was Helene, while her mother was Elena. A source close to the couple said:

Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton during the Oscars at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 24, 2013, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

The name originated in medieval times and only became prominent in the 20th century. Nell was particularly taken from Helen.

During the interview, Carter and Burton also shared a four-year-old son, Billy, named after the director's father, William, and the actress's father, Raymond.

Tim Burton with Rarely Seen Kids Billy Ray & Nell

Despite being private with his life, Burton is proud to be a father of two. In 2021, the American filmmaker took his children out in a rare sighting at the Rome Film Festival on October 23. Then 63 years old, the director, Billy, and Nell attended the "Close Encounters" salute to their father's films.

The trio also brought their adorable dog, Levi, to the red carpet and smiled for photographs in matching dark clothing. The "Dumbo" creator wore a black suit with a black and blue patterned button-down underneath, while his son wore similar attire.

Tim Burton, Nell Burton, and Billy-Ray Burton at the Rome Film Fest 2021, Rome, Italy , October 23, 2021. | Source: Getty Images

Burton and Carter were married for several years before going their separate ways in 2014. Of all his relationships, Carter's was the most known as they worked on several projects together, such as "Planet of the Apes," "Sweeney Todd," "Corpse Bride," and others.

Before Carter, Burton dated Lisa Marie and married German artist Lena Gieseke. Together with Lisa Marie, Burton made movies such as "Ed Wood," "Mars Attack!" and "Sleepy Hollow." Meanwhile, Carter dated fellow actor Kenneth Branagh for five years before their break up in 1999.

Bonham Carter Inspired by Daughter

Nell was not yet allowed to watch her father's films when she was younger. However, her parents agreed that she could view "Alice in Wonderland" as she aged. In the fiction film, Nell's mother brought to life the tyrannical Red Queen, which she said was based on her young daughter.

The inspiration for the bossy and spiteful monarch came from Nell, although she does not precisely exhibit the characteristics.

"I thought, 'Well, she's a toddler because she's got the big head," Bonham Carter said. "She's a tyrant – toddlers are tyrants. The 'no sympathy for any other living creature' – that's our toddler, in fact. [There's] no empathy, just commands. She just bosses us around – dictatorship. No please, no, thank you."

Another toddler quality she got from Nell was the concept of thinking about others. Usually, toddlers only think about themselves and only ask away.

Like Nell, Billy Burton was also involved in his parents' films and appeared on television at an early age. He had cameos in "Charlie and the Chocolate Family" and in "Sweeney Todd," starring his godfather, Johnny Depp, and his mother.

According to Carter, there was always space to have Billy play a role in Burton's films. However, they did not allow him to talk. Only time can tell if Billy and Nell will have more on-screen visibility, possibly through their future careers.