Billie Eilish set for potential acting debut with Sylvia Plath’s 'The Bell Jar'

Dubai: Grammy-winning pop star Billie Eilish could soon add another creative milestone to her already expansive résumé. The singer is reportedly in discussions to make her feature film acting debut in a new adaptation of The Bell Jar, the landmark novel written by Sylvia Plath.

The upcoming project is expected to be directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sarah Polley, marking her first feature since the critically acclaimed drama Women Talking. If negotiations are finalised, Eilish would take on the central role of Esther Greenwood, the troubled young writer at the heart of Plath’s semi-autobiographical story.

Published in 1963, The Bell Jar follows Esther’s psychological decline as she grapples with ambition, identity, and societal expectations during the 1950s. The novel remains one of the most influential literary portrayals of mental illness and the pressures placed on young women, drawing heavily from Plath’s own experiences.

Polley will both write and direct the film, bringing her distinctive storytelling approach to one of the most discussed novels in modern literature. Her previous film Women Talking earned the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and a Best Picture nomination, raising expectations for how she might reinterpret Plath’s deeply introspective narrative for contemporary audiences.

Although widely known for her music career, Eilish has already begun exploring acting. In 2023 she appeared in the Amazon Prime Video series Swarm, where she played a cult-like spiritual leader in a brief but memorable role.

Her move toward film would not be entirely surprising given her close ties to the movie industry through music. Eilish, alongside her brother and longtime collaborator Finneas, has already won two Academy Awards for Best Original Song, first for “No Time to Die” from the James Bond film No Time to Die and later for “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie.

On social media, reactions have been divided. While some fans joked that “everyone wants to be an actor nowadays, no one wants to just be a singer anymore,” others were already predicting awards-season success, with one viral comment declaring that Eilish may be “securing her third Oscar.”

According to Deadline, the project also continues a long history of attempted adaptations of The Bell Jar. Several filmmakers and actors, including Julia Stiles and Kirsten Dunst, were previously linked to film or television versions over the past two decades, but none ultimately reached production. The only completed adaptation so far remains a 1979 film starring Marilyn Hassett, which received mixed responses from critics.

Article contributed by Saarangi Aji