Billie Eilish ‘in talks’ to make big-screen acting debut in Sarah Polley’s The Bell Jar

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Billie Eilish is likely to star in a movie adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s famous novel, The Bell Jar. Sources say discussions are happening and the deal is close to being finalized, which would mark her first major acting role.

The 24-year-old singer, known for her moody persona, will play Esther Greenwood, a 19-year-old college student from Boston. The story follows Esther’s struggle with depression, which leads to a suicide attempt and her subsequent hospitalization after she gets a sought-after internship in New York City in 1953.

Honestly, seeing Billie tackle such raw emotion in her work doesn’t surprise me at all. Knowing her story – how she’s always been so open about battling depression, anxiety, and even self-harm – it just fits. It feels incredibly authentic, and honestly, it’s one of the things I admire most about her. It’s not a leap to see her explore those darker themes; it’s just…her.

Focus Features is finalizing a deal to distribute the film in the United States, according to Deadline. The movie will be written and directed by Sarah Polley, who has won an Academy Award for her screenwriting.

The Bell Jar is the fifth film directed by the acclaimed filmmaker, following her previous works: Women Talking (2022), Stories We Tell (2012), Take This Waltz (2011), and Away from Her (2006).

Esther, after undergoing electroconvulsive therapy, struggled to define herself within a society that heavily favored men. The book’s title represents the overwhelming and constricting emotions caused by her depression.

Many readers consider The Bell Jar to be based on Sylvia Plath’s own life. In 1953, she interned at Mademoiselle magazine, and later received treatment at the McLean Hospital before tragically dying by suicide at the age of 30.

The author, who won a Pulitzer Prize after her death, first published her only book in 1963 using the pen name Victoria Lucas. Her real name wasn’t connected to the book until 1966 internationally, and 1971 in the United States.

Both Julia Stiles and Dakota Fanning were once planned to star in film adaptations of The Bell Jar, in 2007 and 2016 respectively, but unfortunately, those projects never happened.

In 1979, Marilyn Hassett played the lead role of Esther in a film adaptation of “The Bell Jar,” directed by Larry Peerce. Despite a $2 million budget, the movie received largely negative reviews.

Gwyneth Paltrow played the writer in the 2003 film Sylvia, directed by Christine Jeffs. The movie received poor reviews and only made $2.9 million in theaters.

The celebrated songwriter, who has won two Oscars, began her acting career in 2023 with the role of Eva, a seemingly kind but secretly dangerous cult leader, in the seven-part dark comedy series Swarm on Amazon Prime Video.

I was absolutely thrilled when Billie won the People’s Choice Award for her performance on TV the following year – she totally deserved it!

Oh my gosh, did you HEAR her?! She actually said it! ‘Wow, that was crazy to see,’ she breathed, and I swear I almost fainted! And she thanked her acting coach – can you believe it? So classy, so humble, and honestly, she deserves ALL the awards. I’m still reeling!

Seeing my name alongside all those others was incredible – I still can’t believe I’m here! It means so much to me that this was decided by a fan vote, and I feel incredibly grateful and lucky to have this opportunity. Thank you all so much. This was actually my first time ever acting, and it was an amazing experience.

Billie Eilish, a Glendale homeowner with a $2.3 million ranch, recently gained attention on February 1st when she said ‘no one is illegal on stolen land’ while accepting her Grammy for Song of the Year for ‘Wildflower’.

Since finishing her incredibly successful Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour on November 23rd—which earned over $212.9 million during its 106 shows—the singer, who is homeschooled and vegan, has kept a low profile.

Billie Eilish, with 87.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, first became well-known at age 13 when she and her brother Finneas created popular music at their home in Highland Park. She has since sold over 76 million records.

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2026-03-12 01:18