Billie Eilish is poised to make her feature film acting debut in a major new adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s iconic novel The Bell Jar. The pop superstar is in advanced talks to star as the lead character, Esther Greenwood, in the project, which will be written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sarah Polley.
Polley, who won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2023 for her film Women Talking (adapted from Miriam Toews’ novel), is taking on her first directorial project since that success. Focus Features is close to finalizing a deal to finance and distribute the film in the U.S., with production involving Plan B Entertainment, StudioCanal, and producer Joy Gorman Wettels (known for projects like 13 Reasons Why).
First published in 1963 under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas, The Bell Jar remains Plath’s only novel and a landmark work of 20th-century literature. The semi-autobiographical story follows young Esther Greenwood’s harrowing descent into mental illness amid intense societal expectations and personal pressures. The book mirrors aspects of Plath’s own struggles with depression, which tragically culminated in her suicide just one month after its UK publication. It was released in the U.S. in 1971, quickly becoming a bestseller and cementing its status as a modern classic, translated into over 40 languages.
While this marks Eilish’s first leading role on the big screen, she has dipped into acting before, notably with a guest appearance in the 2023 Amazon Prime series Swarm. The multi-talented artist has long been a dominant force in music, bursting onto the scene in 2015 and amassing an impressive collection of awards, including two Academy Awards (for “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie and “No Time to Die” from the James Bond film), ten Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, and more. Most recently, her track “Wildflower” earned Song of the Year at the 2026 Grammys.
This collaboration between Eilish and Polley promises an intriguing blend of raw emotional depth and contemporary star power for one of literature’s most influential explorations of mental health and identity. Further casting and production details are expected as the deal progresses.
