Pupils were left starry-eyed after getting up close and personal with BAFTA winning actress Helena Bonham Carter.

Teenagers from Dame Alice Owen’s School, in Dugdale Hill Lane, Potters Bar, were given their own cinematic close-up when they put their questions to the Harry Potter star.

They were invited to the Courthouse Hotel, in the West End, to watch a screening of her new film, The Young and Prodigious TS Spivet.

After the film, the ten pupils took part in an exclusive Q&A session with her about her film, her career, life on an film set and how she got into the industry.

It was organised by education charity Into Film, which helps people learn through and about films.

The actress said: “I loved it and I loved their interest and enthusiasm. I hope they did genuinely enjoy it, and I hope they’ll spread the word.

“So many people watch films on their own at home and it’s not a communal thing, so for me to sit here and hear the laughter, the appreciation, the jokes, you can tell also when a story is being well told and what point you go across from watching it through the eyes of the audience so it was hugely helpful.”