Brief
Hildur Guðnadóttir to score Sarah Polley’s Sylvia Plath adaptation starring Billie Eilish
The composer says working with Eilish brings a unique partnership as the film wraps production.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Oscar‑winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir told Variety she is scoring Sarah Polley’s adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s novel The Bell Jar, which has just finished filming and will star pop icon Billie Eilish in her first leading role.
What happened
Polley’s film, based on Plath’s 1963 novel, wrapped production earlier this month. Guðnadóttir, who earned an Oscar for the score of Joker, confirmed she began work on the project early, creating thematic material that Polley could use on set. The composer also met with Eilish before the singer‑actress began filming to discuss the musical vision for the story.
What the reports add
Variety reported that Guðnadóttir described the collaboration with Eilish as “a huge difference” because the singer understands the process of writing music, allowing the score to resonate more directly with her performance. The composer explained that the core of Plath’s writing is a search for identity, and that she, Polley and Eilish are exploring how to translate that quest into sound.
What was said
Guðnadóttir said to Variety, “You know she understands the process that goes into writing music, so what you write can really resonate with her.” She added, “For me, the core of Plath’s writing is that she’s searching for identity…Billie, Sarah and I have been exploring how we hear that, how to translate it into music.” The composer also called the film “one of the most exciting projects I’ve ever done” and praised the source material as “one of the most amazing books ever written.”
How it came about
The partnership builds on Guðnadóttir’s previous Oscar‑winning collaboration with Polley on the 2022 film Women Talking. While attending this year’s World Soundtrack Awards in Ghent, she discussed the new score and also mentioned her recent work mixing the A24 thriller Enemies and her interest in returning to the “28 Years Later” franchise.
Key facts
- Hildur Guðnadóttir is scoring Sarah Polley's adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s novel The Bell Jar. (variety.com)
- The film stars Billie Eilish in her first leading acting role. (variety.com)
- Guðnadóttir began work early, creating themes for Polley to use on set. (variety.com)
- She met with Eilish before filming to discuss the musical vision. (variety.com)
- Guðnadóttir previously collaborated with Polley on the Oscar‑winning film Women Talking (2022). (variety.com)
Sources
- [1] variety.com — originally reported as “‘Joker’ Composer Hildur Gudnadottir Confirms She’s Scoring Sarah Polley’s ‘The Bell Jar,’ Starring Billie Eilish”
