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Danielle Deadwyler joins Sarah Polley’s The Bell Jar as Dr. Nolan

By TrendXDay Editorial Desk
Deadline

Danielle Deadwyler has been cast as Dr. Nolan, Esther Greenwood’s psychiatrist, in Sarah Polley’s film adaptation of The Bell Jar. The production has wrapped, but Focus Features has not announced a release date for the film.

Danielle Deadwyler joins Sarah Polley’s The Bell Jar as Dr. Nolan

Focus Features confirmed Deadwyler as part of the supporting cast for The Bell Jar, alongside Billie Eilish and Carey Mulligan. Deadwyler will play Dr. Nolan, the psychiatrist who treats Eilish’s character, Esther Greenwood, according to Variety’s casting report.

The film is adapted from Sylvia Plath’s semi-autobiographical 1963 novel. Eilish plays Esther, an aspiring writer whose New York magazine internship is followed by a struggle with mental illness and the restrictive expectations placed on women in the 1950s. Deadline describes the story as a young woman’s descent into mental illness under social pressure.

Deadwyler’s role places her in the film’s storyline involving Esther’s psychiatric care. The available casting reports identify Dr. Nolan’s position in the story, but do not provide a fuller plot description of the character.

Who else is in The Bell Jar?

Eilish leads the ensemble as Esther Greenwood, while Mulligan plays Esther’s mother, Mrs. Greenwood. The supporting cast includes:

  • Dylan Hawco as Buddy Willard, Esther’s first boyfriend
  • Lili Taylor as Jay Cee, the editor of Ladies’ Day magazine
  • Ella Beatty as Joan, an acquaintance who ends up at the same mental hospital as Esther
  • Maggie Kuntz as Doreen, Esther’s best friend in New York and fellow intern
  • Ike Barinholtz as Lenny, a wealthy New York radio host
  • Connor Storrie as Marco, who is set up with Esther on a blind date

These character details were reported by Variety, which also identified Deadwyler as a Gotham Award winner.

Production status and release information

Polley directed the movie from her own screenplay adaptation. The project is her latest feature after Women Talking, for which she won the 2023 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, according to The Playlist.

Production has wrapped, and Plan B, Studiocanal and Joy Coalition are producing the film. Focus Features is distributing it. A theatrical release date has not been announced, so the film’s public release schedule remains unresolved.

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