She told the Sunday Times newspaper: "I was called an English rose, but I never looked British. My mother is half-French, half-Spanish, and I look like her, dark.
"When I was young, it was weird. Until you have a bit of confidence in yourself and learn not to pay too much attention to body shape or looks or what people say, it can be lethal."
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Earlier this month, meanwhile, Helena admitted she went through "massive grief" when she split from Tim Burton.
The Alice Through the Looking Glass actress separated from the director in 2014 after 13 years together and she confessed the shift in her personal life meant "everything" about her changed.
Helena said: "You go through massive grief - it is a death of a relationship, so it's utterly bewildering. Your identity, everything, changes."
However, she thinks it is fine to show emotion and admit to being "fragile" following a life-altering event.
She said: "Everyone always says you have to be strong and have a stiff upper lip, but it's OK to be fragile."
-Bang! Showbiz