Helena Bonham Carter teams up with real-life fiancé Tim Burton in his latest masterpiece, “Corpse Bride,” co-starring Johnny Depp and Emily Watson. Carter provides the voice of the Corpse Bride (or Emily as she was known when she was alive.) The stop-motion animated fairy tale tells the story of Emily, who is left for dead in the woods on her wedding day. Emily is doomed to be stuck in the underworld for all eternity until she meets a true love to finish what was started. When a clumsy, bumbling man named Victor Hugo (Depp) escapes to the woods on his own wedding day, he finds himself accidentally betrothed to her. Stuck between two very different loves, Victor must make a difficult decision that will affect everybody’s lives.

Q: Is it weird to see yourself as a puppet in “The Corpse Bride”?

HELENA: Not really. It’s not entirely me. I’m not dead and I haven’t got blue hair. But some people say that there are similarities when we originally drafted her. My good friend, who I knew for years, said, “Oh, that is so you.” What I love about it is usually it’s tormenting to watch yourself on screen but with this one, it’s fine.

I think it’s beautiful, a real work of art the whole thing. Having seen it with people, the ironic thing is that we get to sell the thing which has its own labor to it, but [there are] people who really did all the work. We did the minimal amount of work. The animators were in dark rooms, fiddling with their puppets, moving [things] one millimeter and painstakingly taking one photo, then moving another millimeter. Every time they blinked, it was 28 eyelids. It’s absolutely extraordinary, their work and skill and also, their passion and patience. Like if they were doing a joke, it’d take six weeks for them to tell it. Normally, day two, it’s not funny anymore.

Q: Did you develop working alone as a character actor having done “The Corpse Bride” and “Wallace and Grommit” together?

HELENA: You’re meant to have some actors opposite you. I had somebody but it wasn’t Johnny. I didn’t do one line with Johnny but it was somebody else. I definitely got to act with somebody, you definitely have to. You definitely have to do the acting bit and can’t [rely on] your voice. Just reading it doesn’t work at all.

Q: Is it easier than acting in person?

HELENA: It’s easier because you’re not waiting around. Filmmaking is so much about waiting. You’re waiting either for the camera to move, or the sun to go down, and you hardly get up to get into momentum. There’s no hair and makeup and you don’t have to get up at 5:30 in the morning. There’s a lot to be said for it. Corpse Bride can play all my parts from now on! I’ll just do the voice.

Q: The Corpse Bride is pretty well-endowed. Did Tim say anything to you about that?

HELENA: I think that’s Tim’s gentle hint that I need to get plastic surgery! It’s his fantasy. He likes curves.

Q: Has being a mom given you a better sense of what kids are looking for? Most people think they we have to be nice and sweet and kind, when in fact they can handle and want darker stories…

HELENA: Kids can handle way more. Roald Dahl was very clever about kids and he basically said that they were like uncivilized savages and it’s true. They love the dark side and wicked side of things. All of the ancient fairy tales have been scary and dark. There’s nothing new in that.

Q: Do you see a reflection of Tim in the characters?

HELENA: Tim has hesitancy, certainly socially with strangers. He can by shy and more introverted, but sweet.

Q: Is it easier for you to have a partner in the profession so you can share together?

HELENA: I went out with somebody who was in the profession. Most of my relationships have been with people in the business, actually. Having said that, me and Tim don’t really talk that much about work. We don’t really have those high cultured conversations at all [laughs].

Q: Is there a comfort level working with him? How is it different from other directors?

HELENA: I hope so. I sleep with him. I don’t do that with other directors. I promise. [laughs]

"The Corpse Bride" opens in limited release this Friday; everywhere on the 23rd.