There is no stone that Helena Bonham Carter will leave unturned in her pursuit to be as authentic an actress as possible.
Especially when it comes to playing a real-life person.
The Ocean’s Eight actress is set to star in the third season of The Crown as Princess Margaret — a role played by Vanessa Kirby in the series’ initial two seasons.
The royal passed away 17 years ago at the age of 71, but that did not stop Bonham Carter from seeking her blessing.
The actress reportedly got in touch with a psychic in order to make contact with the late princess.
“She said, apparently, she was glad it was me,” Bonham Carter said. “My main thing when you play someone who is real, you kind of want their blessing because you have a responsibility.”
Bonham Carter takes that responsibility seriously and heeded Margaret when she had some words of advice on how to emulate her.
“She said: ‘But you’re going to have to brush up and be more groomed and neater,’” Bonham Carter said. “Then she said: ‘Get the smoking right. I smoked in a very particular way. Remember that – this is a big note – the cigarette holder was as much a weapon for expression as it was for smoking.’”
Season 3 of The Crown debuts on Netflix on November 17th.
