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Ten time Grammy winner and two time Academy Award winning songwriter Billie Eilish is reportedly in advanced talks to make her movie acting debut in a new adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s classic novel The Bell Jar. The project is being developed with Oscar winning filmmaker Sarah Polley attached to direct, while Focus Features is expected to back and distribute the film in the United States.
The film will bring to the screen one of the most influential novels of the twentieth century. Originally published in 1963, The Bell Jar remains the only novel written by American poet and writer Sylvia Plath. The story is widely considered semi autobiographical and follows a young woman named Esther Greenwood as she struggles with identity, societal pressure, and a deepening mental health crisis. The novel drew strong parallels with Plath’s own life experiences and has continued to resonate with readers for decades.
According to early reports, Billie Eilish is set to play the lead role of Esther Greenwood if negotiations are finalized. The material is seen by many observers as a fitting match for Eilish, whose music often explores themes of introspection, vulnerability, and emotional struggle. While there are currently no confirmed plans for Eilish to contribute music to the film, some insiders have suggested that her involvement in the soundtrack could be a possibility later in development.
Sarah Polley will both write and direct the film. Polley is widely respected for her work as a filmmaker and storyteller. She previously won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Women Talking, and is also known for directing Away From Her as well as writing the television adaptation of Alias Grace. Her reputation for handling complex emotional material has helped make the project one of the most talked about literary adaptations currently in development.
The film is being produced by Joy Gorman Wettels through her company Joy Coalition. Gorman Wettels is known for producing projects including Little House on the Prairie and the series 13 Reasons Why. She originated the idea for the adaptation and helped
assemble the creative team, bringing together Eilish and Polley before partnering with Plan B Entertainment and StudioCanal. Focus Features later entered discussions to finance and distribute the film domestically.
The Bell Jar has long been considered a challenging work to adapt for the screen. A previous film adaptation was released in 1979 and directed by Larry Peerce, starring Marilyn Hassett and Julie Harris. Over the years several other attempts have been made to revisit the story. Actress Julia Stiles was attached to star in a version announced in 2007, but the project never moved forward. Later, Kirsten Dunst was linked to direct another adaptation with Dakota Fanning expected to play Esther Greenwood, though that effort also failed to materialize. In 2019 there were reports that Showtime was developing a television series based on the novel with Frankie Shaw, but that project was eventually abandoned.
For Billie Eilish, the potential role represents a new step in an already remarkable career. The singer has achieved massive success in music and film songwriting. She won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2022 for No Time To Die and again in 2024 for What Was I Made For from the film Barbie. At only twenty two years old in 2024, she became the youngest two time Oscar winner in history and remains the only Academy Award winner born in the twenty first century.
If the deal is completed, the adaptation of The Bell Jar could become one of the most closely watched literary films currently in development, combining a powerful classic story with an acclaimed director and one of the most influential music artists of her generation.
