Award-winning singer-songwriter Billie Eilish is in advanced talks to star in a film adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s beloved classic novel “The Bell Jar.”
Set to direct the film is actress, screenwriter and director Sarah Polley. Polley became known as a child actress in the role of Ramona Quimby in the 1988 Canadian television show “Ramona,” based on the Beverly Cleary book series of the same name. Polley has since gone on to become an Oscar-winning screenwriter, with her script for “Women Talking.”
Polley’s vision to direct a movie based on “The Bell Jar” is not an unheard-of concept, with an existing 1979 film adaptation already. Others have since attempted to create film or television adaptations, but none have come to fruition.
“The Bell Jar” is the only novel written by U.S. poet and author Sylvia Plath, who is known for her trailblazing of the confessional poetry genre, which centers around deeply personal and taboo topics such as mental illness, sexuality and trauma.
Following 19-year-old undergraduate student Esther Greenwood, “The Bell Jar” delves into mental illness as Esther’s depression worsens, chronicling her feelings of directionlessness and struggles of being a young woman. “The Bell Jar” is notable in that it parallels Plath’s life in many ways, marking it as a semi-autobiographical novel. Notably, Plath died by suicide a month after the book’s original publication.
Billie Eilish is set to play Esther, a strikingly large role for a singer with little acting experience. Eilish rose to fame at the age of 14, when her song “Ocean Eyes” went viral on the music streaming platform Soundcloud. Eilish released three massively successful albums, with her most recent release being “Hit Me Hard and Soft.”
Additionally, Eilish is the youngest two-time Oscar winner, achieving this milestone at the age of 22. Both Oscars were awarded for Best Original Song.
Though Eilish is an undeniably talented singer and songwriter, it is unclear whether her acting skills will be up to snuff. Currently, Eilish has one acting credit, with a minor role in the Amazon Prime Video horror series “Swarm.” In “Swarm,” Eilish played a cult leader. Her acting performance was generally well-received, especially by fans of her music. However, it’s hard to say whether Eilish will be capable of an acting role as complex as that of Esther Greenwood.
Not only may Eilish not be developed enough of an actor to take on the role, but the issue of celebrity “stunt casting” comes into question. Stunt casting is the phenomenon in which a celebrity is cast in a role purely with the intention of boosting viewership through their fame. Although Eilish may surprise audiences with a wonderful acting performance, it still goes without saying that there are certainly actors out there who are not already famous and are deserving of a chance to play roles over celebrities.
On social media threads relating to the casting news, many comments rejected the notion of Eilish in the role, citing the need for unknown, more qualified actors to take on the role. However, fans of Eilish support her casting, with excitement to see how she will perform in such a complex film.
Aside from the casting of Eilish, it is also worth questioning if “The Bell Jar” warrants an adaptation at all. It appears the film industry is deep into the era of adaptations, remakes and sequels, with only 12% of the top 20 films each year over the last five years being original ideas, and two-thirds being sequels. Statistics like these highlight studios’ potential desire for revenue over legitimate, quality filmmaking.
Additionally, audiences grow tired of subpar or inaccurate film adaptations of classic books. Recent examples include “Wuthering Heights” and “Frankenstein.” Although these movies were not received entirely negatively, this format of filmmaking is becoming oversaturated.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether or not an adaptation of “The Bell Jar” will do the novel justice or not, and if Eilish can deliver a performance worthy of Plath’s legacy.
