Billie Eilish in talks for lead role in book-adaptation film

Is Billie Eilish stepping into the world of movies? An article on People.com reports the American singer and songwriter is in discussions to play the lead role in a new adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s classic 1963 novel The Bell Jar.

The film will be directed and adapted by Oscar-winning Canadian filmmaker and writer Sarah Polley. As Plath's only novel to be published during her lifetime,  Variety noted that Polley could bring to the screen a sensitive, character-driven take on the story.

If the project moves forward, this would be Eilish’s first major acting role. According to Deadline, she would play the main protagonist, Esther Greenwood, a young woman at the heart of the story who struggles with her mental health while navigating the pressures of a magazine internship in New York City.

Eilish, 24, previously made a brief appearance in a single episode of the 2023 thriller series Swarm. She and her brother, singer/songwriter/producer Finneas,  have gained Hollywood recognition, winning two Academy Awards for Best Original Song for their work on No Time to Die (2021) and Barbie (2023).

Billie Eilish began her music career in 2015 at the age of 13 with her debut song Ocean Eyes. The song quickly became popular and launched her career. She later became known for hits like Bad Guy, When the Party's Over, and the Oscar-winning What Was I Made For? from the film Barbie.