What to know
- Downtown Toronto has been transformed in to NYC for The Bell Jar film adaptation, starring pop megastar Billie Eilish.
- Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley is adapting the 1963 Sylvia Plath novel for the silver screen. Polley is best known for her Oscar Winning adaptation of Miriam Toews’ novel, Women Talking.
- Now Toronto reached out to entertainment outlet 1st on Film to learn more about the film, whether Polley is the right director, and Eilish’s role in the movie.
Downtown Toronto has been transformed into 1950s New York City for the upcoming The Bell Jar movie adaptation.
The film is being written, adapted, and directed by Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley, who won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2023 for her silver-screen interpretation of Miriam Toews’ novel, Women Talking.
The Bell Jar is based on Sylvia Plath’s 1963 novel of the same name and is slated for release possibly in 2027.
In early August, production for the film took over Adelaide, Bay, and Queen Streets in Toronto’s Downtown core where eagle-eyed fans spotted Billie Eilish dressed in a 1950s-style dress. Residents have also spotted a selection of vintage cars dotting the blocked-off roads.
To find out more about the adaptation and Eilish’s role in the much anticipated film, Now Toronto reached out to Toronto-based entertainment publication 1st on Film.
Why is The Bell Jar being adapted now?
Lauren DiBenedetto, a freelance writer at 1st on Film, says Polley’s adaptation comes at a time where the themes in The Bell Jar are resonating with “young women now more than ever.” Much like Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women, DiBenedetto says Polley understands the universality of women better than most people in society.
“In the same way that Greta Gerwig’s revival of Little Women showed a universality in women, Polley’s screen adaptation of The Bell Jar can live to be a reminder that women, of any generation, feel and dream and struggle with much of the same,” DiBenedetto explains. “It serves as a reminder of our connection to women across generations.”
In the age of social media, the rise of tradwives, and the intense scrutiny women are put under constantly, she says the novel’s famed “fig tree’ metaphor captures what a lot of successful women feel.
In the book, the fig tree metaphor represents the infinite paths life can take for a woman. One branch can hold a husband, home, and children, while another can lead to a successful career.
“It’s a timeless tale where women are asked to choose one life,” DiBenedetto details. “It’s a universal feeling spanning multiple generations, and I think the pressure to choose a single life path while constantly being exposed to countless other possibilities weighs heavily on the female heart.”
Why Sarah Polley is considered the perfect director
The Toronto-born writer, filmmaker, actress, and political activist signed on to adapt Plath’s novel in early 2026. While Polley has been acting in Hollywood since the 90s, she is perhaps best known for her Oscar winning adaptation of Women Talking.
Suad Alad, who is also a writer at 1st on Film, says Polley is “100 per cent” the right person to direct The Bell Jar.
“Polley is incredible at adapting heavy, authentic literature about the plight of womanhood and misogyny for the screen. I read Women Talking when I was in my undergrad and found Polley’s take on Toew’s work to be honest to its origins, but still unique in its own style,” Alad explains.
“She has a real talent for visual storytelling and I couldn’t think of many other directors who could handle Plath’s work with such care and attention as her.”
DiBenedetto echoes Alad’s sentiments, pointing out both Polley’s identity as a Canadian filmmaker and writer, but also her reputation as a political activist and the way she uses her art to reflect it.
“Her works, including Women Talking, Stories We Tell, Away from Her, etc., consistently grapple with womanhood, identity, autonomy, and the social forces that shape women’s lives. I think the lens she brings to the screen has the power to add to Plath’s work rather than strip away from it.”
Is Billie Eilish the right choice to lead The Bell Jar?
Pop Superstar Billie Eilish is leading the movie as its main character Esther Greenwood. This is Eilish’s first foray into leading a movie, but not her first brush with Hollywood. She has won two Academy Awards for Best Original Song for her work with Barbie and No Time to Die.
Alad says she wishes the role of Greenwood had gone to a lesser-known actress, not because Eilish doesn’t have what it takes to play the titular role, but because she thinks it’s easier “to be taken out of a production when it focuses on the performance of actors that are just so famous.”
“I don’t doubt Eilish will be able to tap into the inner turmoil of Esther’s mental deterioration or won’t find connections to the story’s social commentary on womanhood and bodily autonomy,” she elaborates.
“But I just can’t help but think the role of Esther going to an unknown actress playing opposite more senior talent would have allowed for the source material to be encapsulated aside from whether Eilish “had the chops” to act or lead a feature film.”
However, DiBenedetto is rooting for Eilish’s “underdog journey” as Greenwood, despite her status as one of the world’s most recognizable pop stars.
“I would love nothing more than for her to surprise everyone with an incredible performance,” she says.
“The critique is based on the fact that Eilish is such a recognizable face, to the point that it would be difficult to see her as Esther rather than as Billie Eilish playing Esther in a movie, but that’s not to say it hasn’t been done before.”
