Honestly, if you saw them walking down a street in North London, you probably wouldn’t look twice. That is exactly how Helena Bonham Carter and her former partner Tim Burton planned it. In an era where "nepo babies" are usually plastered across TikTok before they can even drive, Helena Bonham Carter kids have managed something almost impossible: privacy.
They aren't influencers. They aren't trying to sell you a skincare line. They're just two young adults who happen to have a mother who played Bellatrix Lestrange and a father who basically invented the modern gothic aesthetic.
The Reality of Raising Billy and Nell Burton
Helena and Tim were together for thirteen years, a span of time that saw the birth of their two children: Billy Raymond Burton and Nell Burton.
Billy, born in 2003, is now 22. Nell followed in late 2007 and is currently 18. Growing up, their lives were anything but conventional, but not for the reasons you’d think. They didn't live in a sprawling Hollywood mansion with a twenty-car garage. Instead, they grew up in the famous "linked" houses in Belsize Park—two separate homes connected by a communal room.
It was a setup that sparked endless tabloid rumors. People thought they were weird. Helena, however, just called it practical. It gave everyone their own space while keeping the family unit intact.
Billy Raymond Burton: The Quiet Creative
Billy has spent most of his life avoiding the glare of the paparazzi. He’s 22 now and has grown into a young man who strikingly resembles his father—wild hair and all.
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You might have spotted him if you look really closely at some of Tim Burton’s films. He had tiny cameos in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Sweeney Todd. It wasn't about launching a career; it was more like the family business. "Come to work with Dad and stand in the background for a bit."
Recently, he’s been seen more often. In early 2025, he was photographed grabbing a drink at a pub with his mom and the family dog. He’s tall—towering over Helena—and seems perfectly content staying away from the Hollywood machine.
Nell Burton: Stepping Into the Light
Nell, now 18, was nameless for the first seven months of her life. Helena and Tim famously struggled to pick a name, eventually settling on Nell as a tribute to all the "Helens" in their family tree.
Unlike her brother, Nell has dipped her toe into the professional creative world. In late 2025, she made her modeling debut. She appeared alongside Helena in a high-end jewelry campaign for Larkspur & Hawk.
It wasn't a "look at me" moment. It felt more like a mother-daughter project. Helena spoke about how jewelry carries stories over decades, and having Nell by her side for the shoot seemed to reinforce that sense of history.
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The "Insanity" of Parenting Teenagers
Helena is refreshingly blunt about motherhood. She doesn't do the "blessed and grateful" act 24/7. She once famously mentioned that going through menopause at the same time her kids were hitting puberty was a special kind of hell.
"You're both basically going insane at the same time," she told People.
Think about that. The hormonal shifts of a teenager clashing with the hormonal shifts of a woman in her 50s. It’s a recipe for a very loud household. But it’s that level of honesty that makes her parenting style so relatable. She even took parenting classes after Nell was born, admitting that being a mom is much harder than being an actress.
Co-Parenting with Tim Burton
When Helena and Tim split in 2014, the internet mourned. They were the ultimate "weird" couple. But the split was amicable, and they’ve stayed dedicated to their kids.
- Joint Custody: They share the upbringing of Billy and Nell.
- Dual Lives: Helena has mentioned that the kids enjoy a "dual life," which took time to adjust to but eventually became their normal.
- Family Events: It’s not uncommon to see the whole group together at premieres or gallery openings.
They didn't do the messy public divorce. There were no "sources" leaking dirt to the press. They just moved into their own spaces and kept showing up for their children.
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Why the World Is Still Obsessed
People search for Helena Bonham Carter kids because they represent a mystery. In a world of oversharing, Billy and Nell are a blank slate. They haven't been "curated."
They represent a successful version of celebrity parenting where the kids weren't used as accessories for a brand. Johnny Depp is their godfather, for heaven's sake, and yet you never see them leveraging that for a "get ready with me" video.
That’s the real takeaway here. You can be one of the most famous women on the planet and still raise kids who have the freedom to be anonymous.
If you're looking to follow in those footsteps—even if you aren't an Oscar nominee—the strategy is simple. Keep the private stuff private. Let your kids find their own names (even if it takes seven months). And when things get crazy, just admit that everyone is probably going a little bit insane.
What to do next:
If you're interested in the "Burton-esque" lifestyle, look into the Belsize Park area of London where the family lived. It’s a masterclass in how architecture can support unconventional family dynamics. You can also check out the Larkspur & Hawk "Once Upon a Time" collection to see Nell’s first professional foray into the creative world.