Picture: Helena Bonham-Carter Switches on the Burlington Arcade Christmas lights. London, England - 18.11.10
Helena Bonham Carter risked the wrath of Harry Potter bosses by starring in THE KING'S SPEECH because she was still contracted to the wizard franchise when she filmed the role.
The actress plays Britain's late Queen Mother, Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI, opposite Colin Firth as the stuttering monarch in the acclaimed new film, which has already been tipped for success at the upcoming 2011 Oscars.
Bonham Carter reveals she initially turned the part down because she was still bound to the Potter movies in her role as Bellatrix Lestrange but director Tom Hooper eventually persuaded her to sign up for the film.
But she took a massive "risk" by agreeing to the work, because she could have been called away to shoot more scenes for the Harry Potter movies at any time.
She tells Comingsoon.net, "Tom asked me to do it... but I did have other obligations and duties, because I was doing Harry Potter at the same time, so I did say, 'No'... I kept saying 'No'. In fact, I don't think I said 'Yes' but I ended up on the set, dressed as the Queen Mum...
"You know what they did? It was completely illegal and really quite risky. In fact, fantastically risky. Harry Potter never released me. They said 'Even if you work on weekends, we get first choice', so potentially, I could have brought down The King's Speech."
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