Hildur Guðnadóttir to Score Sarah Polley's The Bell Jar Starring Billie Eilish
Oscar winner Hildur Guðnadóttir is writing the music for Sarah Polley's film version of Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar, Variety reported on 13 October 2026. The film stars Billie Eilish in her first starring role on screen.
Production recently wrapped. Eilish plays Esther, the young magazine worker at the centre of Plath's story, according to Literary Hub. Polley directs the adaptation. The score, the original music written for a film, will come from Guðnadóttir.
It is a reunion. Guðnadóttir previously worked with Polley on Women Talking, the 2022 drama. She joined The Bell Jar early in the process.
She started early. Guðnadóttir wrote themes for Polley to play on set during the shoot, Variety reported. She also spoke with Eilish about how to translate Plath's experiences into musical ideas. Guðnadóttir described the work in an interview at the World Soundtrack Awards in Ghent, where she appeared as guest of honour.
Guðnadóttir won an Oscar for Joker. For fans, this means a pairing with history. Polley knows her working method, Eilish knows the central role, and the music was present from the first takes rather than added later.
She is keeping busy elsewhere. Guðnadóttir was mixing Enemies, an A24 thriller produced by Ari Aster. The Chicago-shot cop drama is directed by Henry Dunham and stars Jeremy Allen White and Austin Butler.
She also composed the music for Nia DaCosta's 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. The earlier film in that series, Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later, was scored by Young Fathers.
