Billie Eilish might be coming for her third Oscar — and this time, it could be for acting.

On Wednesday (March 11), The Insneider reported rumors of Eilish being in talks to make her acting debut in a film adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar with Oscar-winning actor and director Sarah Polley (Women Talking, Away From Her) set to direct. Deadline has since confirmed the report.

The film will be produced in partnership with Joy Gorman Wettels (13 Reasons Why), Plan B Entertainment, and StudioCanal. Focus Features is closing a deal to be the film’s U.S. distributor.

The novel — the only one ever written by Plath — is a semiautobiographical tale of a young woman’s descent into madness while working a magazine internship in 1950s New York City. Plath died by suicide a month after the book’s U.K. release.

Polley, who won the 2023 Academy Award for best adapted screenplay for Women Talking, will adapt the story for the big screen. Eilish is in talks to play the lead character of Esther Greenwood.

Though this is Eilish’s first film role, she has tried her hand at acting before. In 2023, the “Bad Guy” singer made her acting debut in an episode of Donald Glover (a.k.a Childish Gambino) and Janine Nabers’ Amazon Prime limited series Swarm. In the episode, Eilish portrayed the leader of a women’s empowerment cult that lures the main character, Dre (Dominique Fishback), into her charming clutches. In a 2023 Variety interview, the singer shared that acting was one of her childhood dreams. However, as she began to make waves with her music, she put aside her acting dreams due to fear that she was not good at it.

“It’s always been a deep thing that I’ve been reluctant to talk about because I thought I was really bad,” she said in the interview.

Gaby Moreno was only 13 years old when Broadway became part of her bucket list. She had done theater as a child, and her parents took her to a couple of musicals during a trip to New York City. “We went to see Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, and from that moment I said, ‘It would be a dream to do musical theater and one day be on Broadway,’” she tells Billboard Español.

Three decades later, the Grammy and two-time Latin Grammy-winning Guatemalan singer-songwriter is finally fulfilling her dream as Persephone in the acclaimed musical Hadestown, where she made her highly anticipated debut on March 3. As part of the star-studded cast this season, she will share the stage with Joshua Colley (Orpheus), Jordan Tyson (Eurydice), Gary Dourdan (Hades) and J. Harrison Ghee (Hermes) until the end of August.

Winner of eight Tony Awards, including best musical, Hadestown premiered on Broadway in the spring of 2019, three years after its off-Broadway debut. It became one of Moreno’s favorites after she had the chance to see it in 2023, not knowing that one day she would perform on its stage.

“I still don’t understand how or who it was that put my name on the list, but about a year ago, my manager got an email asking if I was available to play the role of Persephone on Broadway. I thought it was a joke at first,” she recalls, still amazed.

With music, lyrics and book by Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown reimagines the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in a post-apocalyptic setting inspired by the Great Depression and New Orleans. The show follows the famed musician and poet on a journey to the underworld to rescue his beloved Eurydice, who, burdened by hunger, agreed to work for Hades in his underground factory as a means of survival. Through a mix of folk, blues and jazz, it explores themes such as love, uncertainty, hope, and poverty.

In this context, Persephone — the goddess of spring and wife of the harsh Hades — plays a crucial role by serving as a bridge between the mortal world and the underworld, spreading joy and hope for change and freedom.

In an interview with Billboard Español, Moreno spoke about how she prepared for the role, the biggest challenges she faced and what’s next for her.

(Editor’s note: Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.)

How did you feel on stage the night of your Broadway debut?

It was a magical, very emotional night. A dream I’ve had since I was very little, and it was incredible to share it with all the people who came to see us, but also with my entire family who flew in from Guatemala just to see me. My mom was there, my sister, my brother-in-law, my niece who loves musical theater and is actually now studying it in Mexico City. Afterwards, we went to have dinner at a great place nearby and to celebrate with all my relatives and friends who came. It was truly a night I’ll never forget.

Had you done musical theater before?

A long time ago. I mean, I did theater as a child, I always loved it. And when I moved to Los Angeles in 2000, I studied theater for three years at a school that was very Shakespearean. Then, in 2007, I was part of a very small production of the musical Hair at a tiny theater in Hollywood for 100 people. I was part of the ensemble. There were about 30 of us on stage, and it was such a unique experience for me — it was my first time ever being part of a musical, and the last until now.

And how did the opportunity for Hadestown come to you?

I still don’t understand how or who it was that put my name on the list, but about a year ago, my manager got an email asking if I was available to play the role of Persephone on Broadway. I thought it was a joke at first. Then, of course, I said yes to everything, I’ll learn whatever I need to learn.

Months went by and I didn’t hear anything, so I thought well, it was too good to be true. But then in October of last year, they reached out again to send me the contract. I was in shock because they never asked me to audition. Honestly, I thought, “OK, I can sing those songs, but how did they know whether or not I could act?” It was a true leap of faith.

Had you already seen the musical, or did you have to start from scratch?

I saw it on Broadway in 2023, without knowing anything about anything, and when I saw it I said, “This is one of my favorite musicals.” When I found out I was going to be part of this production, I started listening to the soundtrack every day. I listened to it over and over and over again, and that’s how I learned all the songs. Then they sent me the script, and I moved to New York in mid-January to start rehearsals.

What has been the hardest part for you? Because there’s so much to it: the dancing, the acting, and well, singing comes naturally to you, but it’s a different style of music too…

Yes, but you know, I feel like this type of music is in my world, it’s in my universe. I mean, blues, folk and jazz are exactly what I do too. And the music was written by Anaïs Mitchell, who is brilliant, but also a great composer in the folk and Americana world, which is the world I also work in.

Musically, I’m in my element. The dancing, though, was definitely a challenge — dancing and singing at the same time — because in my concerts, I’m always standing with my guitar, not moving much. Here I am, as you saw, running, dancing. We had to rehearse for many hours; the choreography was a big challenge for me, but I loved learning and bringing out that more Latin side of me.

In one scene, you even dance a little salsa, and at the end of the opening night show, during curtain call, you sang again and ended with a word in Spanish: “Good night, hermanos.”

When I met with the directors and producers, they told me that’s what they wanted — for me to bring that Latinity to the character. And they do that with all the actors they choose for the different roles; they’ve had actors from the Philippines, from all over. The cast that just left had a Hades who was from Brazil, Paulo Szot, and he even said words in Portuguese.

How do you feel about representing immigrants on Broadway today?

It’s a very, very big responsibility to know that I’m playing this role as a Guatemalan, as a Latina. When I went to see Broadway shows as a child, I didn’t see artists who represented my culture, so being there, being able to speak Spanish, and being part of that diversity [now present on Broadway] means so much to me. It’s important for that to continue happening and for us to continue being recognized in this world of the arts that brings so much beauty and love in a time when there’s so much division and hate.

Beyond the show, what can we expect from you next?

I’m already writing new songs for my next album, but right now I have a live album coming out in April — my first live album — from a performance I did in Los Angeles on the radio station KCRW, on their show Morning Becomes Eclectic, in 2024. I’m releasing that album for a very special day, Record Store Day [April 18]. And at the end of the year, I’m going to release another tribute album to David Bowie that I recorded many years ago, but it’s finally coming to light. It’s with all the musicians who recorded or toured with him, so it’s a very special album for me.

Last fall, Mike Bahía earned his first No. 1 on the Billboard Latin Airplay and Latin Pop Airplay charts with “Difícile,” his collaboration with Venesti. The song also became the first chart topper that was created at Warner Chappell Music’s Fresco Sounds songwriting camp.

“Exactly one year ago today I had that session in this very studio. It gave me a lovely sense of déjà vu,” Bahía tells Billboard outside of AF2 Studios in Miami. “It’s a place where I can be myself… I’m Mike, who loves making music all day long.” 

Just one year after creating “Difícile,” a sugary afropop song produced by Luis Salazar and co-written with Samantha Cámara, the Colombian singer-songwriter is back at the Fresco Sounds songwriting camp brainstorming his next hit. 

“I feel more confident this year,” he expresses. “I’ve reached a place where I’m valued, respected, loved and I feel free — I feel at peace, without carrying any burdens. I always have my doubts — but as you evolve and mature, I’m now someone who arrives at the studio without any pretensions. I realized I have to enjoy what I do, and these days I make good moves. I come with a positive attitude.” 

This time around, Bahía — who has formed part of the songwriting camp since it launched — is exploring new ventures: writing a vallenato song with Colombian newcomer Maisak and creating a minimalist merengue sound with Dominican hitmaker Cromo X. 

Bahía is one of 150 music creators part of Fresco Sounds, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2026.

“One of the big tasks we have is to always put our songwriters out there and get them to connect and network. I’ve been working very hard on that since around the time of ‘Despacito,’” says Laz Hernandez, senior vice president, A&R U.S. Latin & Latin America, Warner Chappell Music, who launched Fresco Sounds. “All my writers wanted to work in the general market and explore different things. We wanted to do a big one in Miami, keeping that same idea of using the global impact of Latin music and getting more representation and more activities in other places…and it evolved into Fresco Sounds.”  

Every year, the weeklong, Miami-based songwriting camp partners with a different Warner Chappell Music offices to make the experience amongst songwriters, artists and producers more international. 

“This year, the strategic alliance is with Warner Chappell Music Korea in Seoul. We have 15 artists and songwriters in Miami from all over Asia,” Hernandez elaborates. “It’s kind of what happened with Latin on a global scale a few years ago. Now, K-pop is having a similar moment. There’s similarities in the rhythm and in the cross-over with Latin. This is such a massive camp that we currently have 30 sessions a day.” 

This year, Fresco Sounds also teamed up with Meta to support the more than 150 songwriters with resources.  

“Our onsite K-pop-inspired Reels space and educational sessions were designed to empower artists and songwriters to express themselves authentically, build community and reach new audiences on Instagram,” says Ady Harley, Meta’s head of music label partnerships and publishing BD, LATAM. “We believe in providing tools and platforms that help creators showcase their unique creative process, and we’re excited to see how these collaborations inspire music fans around the world.”

For Hernandez, the ultimate goal is to continue making Fresco Sounds a more cool and interesting space for music hitmakers. 

“As a publisher, we work with everyone. It’s not an exclusive Warner thing,” he says. “We have relationships with all the labels and work with artists such as Rauw Alejandro, who’s signed to Sony, and Jhayco, with Universal. We’re always finding the best new opportunities to collaborate with other international music creators or brands. We want to make the biggest impact we can.”

Another batch of presenters for the 2026 Oscars was announced on Wednesday (March 11), so Sunday’s show is coming into focus. Jimmy Kimmel, a four-time Oscar host, will present this year. (Anne Hathaway, who co-hosted the 2011 ceremony with James Franco, is also set to present.)

Three current Oscar nominees are set to present, so they’ll hit the stage whether they win or lose in their categories. They are: Wagner Moura, nominated for best actor for The Secret Agent (and the first Brazilian actor ever nominated in that category); Rose Byrne, nominated for best actress for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, and Delroy Lindo, nominated for best supporting actor for Sinners.

Sinners set a new record as the most-nominated film in Oscar history, with 16 nods. Trailing Sinners on the nominations leaderboard are One Battle After Another (13 nods), Frankenstein, Marty Supreme and Sentimental Value (nine each) and Hamnet (eight).

Just two of the five nominated songs – “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters and “I Lied to You” from Sinners – will be performed live on the telecast. They are both being elaborately staged.

The KPop Demon Hunters moment begins with a fusion of traditional Korean instrumentalists and dance, celebrating the folklore and cultural inspiration that anchors the story behind this animated blockbuster. As part of this experience, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA and REI AMI, the singing voices behind HUNTR/X, will perform “Golden.”

Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq will perform “I Lied to You.” They will be joined by Misty Copeland, Eric Gales, Buddy Guy, Brittany Howard, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Bobby Rush, Shaboozey and Alice Smith in an homage to what the Academy called “the film’s singular visual style.”

Josh Groban and the Los Angeles Master Chorale are also set to perform on the telecast.

The Academy have booked both a father and son, veteran actor Bill Pullman and his actor son Lewis Pullman, to present. Lewis Pullman joined Danielle Brooks to announce this year’s nominees on Jan. 22.

There have been media reports, as yet unconfirmed by the Academy, that Barbra Streisand may appear during the In Memoriam segment to honor Robert Redford, her costar in The Way We Were; that Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan will honor the late Rob Reiner, who directed them in When Harry Met Sally…; and that Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, and Rose Byrne will present together, keyed to the 15th anniversary of their 2011 film Bridesmaids. (Rudolph and Byrne have been announced as presenters.)

Hosted by Conan O’Brien, the 98th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 15 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The show will be televised live at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT, on ABC and streamed live on Hulu. The official live red carpet show will air at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Here are all of the performers and presenters for the 2026 Oscars that have been announced to date. If any more performers or presenters are announced, this post will be updated.

Performers

“Golden” performance: EJAE, AUDREY NUNA and REI AMI, the singing voices behind HUNTR/X

“I Lied to You” performance: Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq, joined by Misty Copeland, Eric Gales, Buddy Guy, Brittany Howard, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, Bobby Rush, Shaboozey and Alice Smith

Josh Groban

Los Angeles Master Chorale

Presenters

Will Arnett

Javier Bardem

Adrien Brody

Rose Byrne

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Kieran Culkin

Robert Downey Jr.

Chris Evans

Anne Hathaway

Chase Infiniti

Nicole Kidman

Jimmy Kimmel

Delroy Lindo

Mikey Madison

Ewan McGregor

Paul Mescal

Demi Moore

Wagner Moura

Kumail Nanjiani

Gwyneth Paltrow

Pedro Pascal

Bill Pullman

Lewis Pullman

Maya Rudolph

Zoe Saldaña

Channing Tatum

Sigourney Weaver

Host

Conan O’Brien

Announcer

Matt Berry