Billie Eilish Is Starring in a Movie Adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar: What We Know

After performing on stages across the globe, selling millions of albums worldwide, and earning awards at the Grammys and Oscars throughout her 11-year career, Billie Eilish is ready for her next act, which will bring her talents to the big screen.

On March 11, Deadline reported that Eilish will star as Esther Greenwood, the lead character in a new film adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s bestselling semi-autobiographical novel, The Bell Jar. The role marks the singer’s acting debut in a movie; she previously appeared in an episode of the 2023 Prime Video series, Swarm.

Though the project will see Eilish becoming a leading lady on screen, her career has previously been intertwined with film. Most recently, the pop star lent her songwriting to 2023’s Barbie and contributed “What Was I Made For?” to the soundtrack for the movie—the track won Best Original Song at the Academy Awards in 2024. She also won the award for Best Original Song at the 2022 Oscars for “No Time To Die.” Eilish is notably the youngest two-time Oscar winner and the youngest Oscar winner born in the 21st century. She’s also working with James Cameron on a forthcoming concert film from Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour.

Details are still sparse for what The Bell Jar’s new movie adaptation will look like, but here’s what we know about the project so far.

Who else is in the cast?

No other cast members have been announced to star in the new movie adaptation of The Bell Jar. Additional details will likely arrive at a later date.

As for who’s behind the scenes, Sarah Polley (Women Talking) will direct, Deadline reports.

What would The Bell Jar movie be about?

The movie will likely use Plath’s 1963 novel as the primary source material for the screenplay. The official synopsis for the book reads:

“The story chronicles the breakdown of Esther Greenwood, a bright, beautiful, enormously talented college student coming of age in 1950s America, as she navigates the pressures of society along with her own ambitions. While at a prestigious, competitively won position at a New York City magazine one summer, Esther finds herself struggling with the looming expectations of marriage, motherhood, and giving up on her dreams to achieve them. She becomes increasingly disillusioned and her mental health deteriorates, ultimately leading her to undergo harsh treatment and therapy.”

Are there any other adaptations of The Bell Jar?

Director Larry Peerce made an adaptation of The Bell Jar in 1979 that starred Marilyn Hassett and Julie Harris. It is the only adaptation of the book that exists so far.

Julia Stiles nearly starred in and produced a version of the book, but the project was later shelved. Kirsten Dunst also attempted to adapt the book with Elle Fanning as the lead, but the project also didn’t come to fruition. Showtime tried adapting the book into a series with Frankie Shaw as a director, but the network later abandoned the project, according to Deadline.

This post will be updated.