After you’ve won multiple Grammys (10, if you’re counting), Oscars (two for Best Original Song) and a bunch of other awards associated with music performance, the only logical step is to move on into new territory. And that seems exactly what singer Billie Eilish is doing. The 24-year-old is warming up to appear in her very first film, Sarah Polley’s The Bell Jar.
According to a scoop from The InSneider, the Oscar-winning filmmaker is adapting Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, and Eilish is currently in advanced talks to star in the film.
Which Character Will Billie Eilish Play?
At the point, there’s no confirmation yet about which character Eilish could play, although there are strong indications it could very well be Esther Greenwood, the novel’s troubled protagonist.
Or she could simply be playing a smaller role as part of the supporting cast. Either way, this could be a huge deal for her career.
Sarah Polley’s Award-Winning Directing Career
Sarah Polley isn’t just any director. Her 2022 drama Women Talking won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. She’s also known for choosing her projects very carefully.
While she has over two decades experience as a director, Polley has only made four films: Away From Her (2006), Take This Waltz (2011), Stories We Tell (2012), and Women Talking (2022). A
At one point, Polley also briefly signed on to Disney’s live-action Bambi remake. But she exited that project before she got to direct it.
The Powerful Story Behind Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar
Sylvia Plath published The Bell Jar in 1963 under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas. The semi-autobiographical novel tracks Esther Greenwood, a young woman dealing with crushing expectations and spiraling mental health. Plath died at age 30, just one month after the book’s first release. American readers discovered it in 1971, and it quickly became a bestseller across the world.
Previous Attempts to Adapt The Bell Jar for Film and TV
Hollywood has tried to adapt The Bell Jar many times before. Larry Peerce directed a film with starring Marilyn Hassett and Julie Harris in 1979. Then came another version with Julia Stiles in 2007. Showtime even explored a series in 2019 with Frankie Shaw before abandoning it.
Billie Eilish’s First Steps Into Acting
Eilish has actually already tried acting before. If you remember, she had a really small role in the 2023 Amazon series Swarm. But, of course, The Bell Jar would be her first major movie role.
But can she act? We’ll have to wait and see.
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