Helena Bonham Carter says she contacted Princess Margaret’s spirit ahead of ‘The Crown’ role

Helena Bonham Carter seems to have gone the supernatural route to research for her role as Princess Margaret in Netflix’s Emmy-winning series The Crown. The Harry Potter actress admitted that she took research and preparation very seriously.

“I go to ridiculous lengths [to research],” Bonham Carter said. “I don’t think it necessarily is necessary, but I enjoy it!”

Her co-star, Olivia Colman, on the other hand, admitted that she wasn’t the best at preparing for her roles. This led to Helena Bonham Carter quipping ‘Understatement of the year,’ as a joke.

The two stars appeared on the Graham Norton Show and Helena recalled meeting a medium and meeting Princess Margaret’s ghost.

‘This story has gathered its own momentum,’ Helena said. ‘I actually went to see a friend about something else, but she has a talent for mediumship and she suddenly said, “Margaret is here. Does that mean anything?”

‘I hadn’t actually said yes [to the part] yet, but thought I’d ask her if I should take the role and she said, “You’ll be better than the other one”.There was actually someone else up for the part and it was typical of Margaret.’

Helena went on to add: ‘I’d met her a few times and you never really knew where you were with her, she had a way of complimenting and putting you down at the same time.’

Helena Bonham Carter said Princess Margaret’s ghost also gave her notes on her role. “Then she came through with another note, which was useful whether the psychic was fantastically intuitive or there really was the ghost of Margaret telling me. I don’t know. She said, ‘Get the smoking right. I smoked in a particular way and always remember cigarette holder is always as much a weapon for expression as anything else’. That was a good note. And she was somebody who was innately dramatic.”

The Crown season three starts November 17th on Netflix.

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