Billie Eilish to make acting debut in new film adaptation of The Bell Jar
Billie Eilish is in final talks to take on the lead role in The Bell Jar.
Billie Eilish is preparing to step into her first major movie role, with the singer in advanced talks to lead a new film adaptation of The Bell Jar.
The Oscar‑winning artist is expected to play Esther Greenwood in the big‑screen version of Sylvia Plath’s 1963 classic, with Sarah Polley set to direct from her own script.
Focus Features is close to securing US distribution, while the project is being produced by Joy Gorman Wettels through Joy Coalition, alongside Plan B Entertainment and StudioCanal.
The Bell Jar, Plath’s only novel, is a semi‑autobiographical story following a young woman’s descent into mental illness, inspired by the author’s own experiences.
The book has been translated into more than 40 languages, and Plath died just a month after its original UK publication.
The novel has been adapted only once before, in a 1979 film starring Marilyn Hassett and Julie Harris.
Several other attempts have stalled over the years, including a 2007 version with Julia Stiles attached and a later project led by Kirsten Dunst with Dakota Fanning in the starring role.
A planned Showtime series announced in 2019 also failed to move forward.
Eilish is no stranger to the film world thanks to her soundtrack work.
She became the youngest two‑time Academy Award winner in 2024 when she won Best Original Song for What Was I Made For? from Barbie, following her 2022 win for No Time To Die, the theme for Daniel Craig’s final James Bond film.
