Helena Bonham Carter had a blast on the Harry Potter set, especially during a memorable scene with Daniel Radcliffe. Despite her veteran status, she was playfully treated like a teen by her younger co-stars. Waving a wand wasn’t as glamorous as it seemed—Carter hit the wand-waving school hard and even picked up a blister from all the practice.
But her enthusiasm for playing Bellatrix Lestrange shone through, and the chance to impersonate Emma Watson’s Hermione added an extra layer of fun to her magical experience. Overall, it was a mix of enchanting moments and teenage shenanigans.
Helena Bonham Carter’s Wand-Waving Fun: From Bellatrix’s Blister to Teenage Antics with Radcliffe
Helena Bonham Carter, known for her roles in The Lone Ranger and One Life, had the most fun filming a certain scene alongside Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter, despite the challenges. Portraying the fearsome Bellatrix Lestrange, Carter had a surprisingly fun experience, especially with her younger co-stars. Despite her veteran status, she was treated like a teenager on set, and she loved every moment of it.
Filming with a wand wasn’t as easy as it looked. The 58-year-old actress revealed that waving around a stick while pretending to cast spells felt pretty awkward at first. She took wand-waving seriously, hitting ‘wand school’ for weeks and even picking up a blister from all the practice.
The wandwork was based on fencing techniques, complete with Latin names for the moves. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Carter opened up:
We went to wand school for about three weeks. We took it very very seriously. I actually got a wand blister on the [middle] finger. They kind of had different names for all the different moves, Latin ones. It was sort of based on fencing. You also always have to have an intention behind the spell.
Carter joined the Harry Potter franchise somewhat serendipitously, though. She first appeared in Order of the Phoenix—and was thrilled to step into Bellatrix’s shoes after the original choice had to drop out. Her enthusiasm for magic and witches made the role a perfect fit, as she revealed:
So they came to me. And I loved it. I love magic, I love witches, and I love the whole [Harry Potter] world. I was all too happy to play a witch.
A standout moment was when she got to channel Emma Watson’s Hermione Granger. Instead of heavily applying makeup, Carter had the chance to impersonate Hermione, adding a fun twist to her role. Her younger co-stars, including Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, treated her as if she were a teenager, making the experience even more enjoyable for Carter. The actress told MTV News (via Contact Music):
Rather than put Emma Watson in a hell of a load of make-up, they just said, ‘Now you go act like Hermione’. That was fun. I was looking at Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, and they were treating me as if I was 17.
In the end, Helena Bonham Carter’s Harry Potter adventure was a blend of wand-waving challenges and unexpected teenage antics. From feeling like a veteran on set to transforming into Hermione on screen, Carter’s journey was as enchanting as her character’s spellcasting.
Helena Bonham Carter teams up for Netflix’s fresh take on The Seven Dials Mystery.
Mia McKenna-Bruce, Martin Freeman, and Helena Bonham Carter are about to bring the heat to Netflix’s The Seven Dials Mystery (via Cinema Express). This fresh spin on Agatha Christie’s classic novel is McKenna-Bruce’s biggest role yet, following her buzz-worthy performance in How to Have Sex, which snagged a Cannes award. She’s stepping into the shoes of Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent, a detective out to crack a murder case that starts with a party prank gone wrong.
Freeman and Bonham Carter are also on board, playing Superintendent Battle and Lady Caterham. With Doctor Who’s Chris Chibnall writing and Chris Sweeney directing, this one’s set to be a knockout. The series starts filming later this year, so brace yourself for some Christie-level chaos, mind-bending twists, and big performances when The Seven Dials Mystery drops on Netflix!
Harry Potter films are available to watch on Max as of August 16, 2024.
