Overview
- Production for Sarah Polley’s adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar has been filming in downtown Toronto in early August, with first-look set photos showing streets redressed as 1950s New York.
- Billie Eilish is playing Esther Greenwood in her feature-film debut and Carey Mulligan is confirmed to play Mrs. Greenwood, with Polley writing and directing the adaptation.
- Set images circulated by entertainment outlets show Eilish in auburn/reddish-brown hair, bold red lipstick and period wardrobe such as A-line skirts and fitted knit tops that make her look markedly different from her usual public image.
- Industry commentators and local observers are divided over whether casting a globally famous singer will let audiences see the character rather than the celebrity, though some express cautious optimism about her potential performance.
- The film is described as a psychological drama that engages Plath’s themes of mental illness and societal pressure, Polley’s involvement reassures many about tonal care, and the project currently carries a tentative release window around 2027.