Billy Joel is lashing out at a planned biopic that claims it will tell his early story, before he became an internationally known musical artist. According to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, filmmaker John Ottman's Billy & Me plans to tell 'the origin story of Joel before fame, before the hits — and, significantly, before Piano Man, the 1973 song and album that lofted him to stardom.'
The film is reportedly told from the point of Joel's first manager, Irwin Mazur, who first discovered the musician in 1966 and steered his career up to his breakthrough deal with Columbia Records in 1972. It would follow other successful musical biopics, including Lionsgate's recent Michael Jackson film Michael. In addition to having acquired the life rights to Mazur, producers will also lean on Joel's longtime friend and former drummer Jon Small as a consultant.
But Joel, 77, has distanced himself from the project, refusing to grant Ottman access to his music and his life rights. In a statement to Variety, a representative for the Grammy winner slammed the planned movie, telling the outlet that Billy & Me is completely unauthorized.
'Since 2021, the parties involved have been officially notified that they do not possess Billy Joel's life rights and will not be able to secure the music rights required for this project. Billy Joel has not authorized or supported this project in any capacity, and any attempt to move forward without it would be both legally and professionally misguided,' the rep said.
Variety speculates this might be why the story is being told from the perspectives of Mazur and Small, whose wife, Elizabeth Weber, left him for Joel when they were in their early 20s. Joel's life story was told in the two-part documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, which streamed on Crave last year.
'I've resisted this kind of thing for so long. I'm sick of talking about myself,' Joel told PEOPLE of the film. 'Some of the stupid stuff I did, that's painful to talk about. (But) they asked me for some thematic guidance. I said, 'Just tell the truth.''
Director and Producer Clap Back at Billy's Camp
Producer Adam Ripp fired back at Joel's team, saying that the film is 'based on Irwin Mazur and Jon Small's firsthand experiences and Irwin's legitimate right to tell his own life story and perspective regarding the events depicted in the film.'
'Billy & Me focuses on the period surrounding Billy Joel and The Hassles, and features the cover songs performed by them during that era. As such, characterizing Billy & Me as 'legally and professionally misguided' does not accurately reflect the nature of the project nor the legally obtained rights underlying the production,' Ripp says.
Ottman, who was an editor on Michael and won an Oscar for editing the 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, describes the movie as 'the most honest, heartfelt, and authentic portrayal of Billy's early life and rise to becoming one of the greatest musical voices of our time.'
'Billy & Me is grounded in truth, shaped with care, and built with the insight of people who genuinely know and love Billy. As someone who was there from the very beginning, I can say this script captures not just the music, but the friendships, struggles, humour, and creative spark that defined those years,' he explains.
He also says the film doesn't need Joel's music because it is going to centre on a time in his life when the singer was mostly performing cover songs. In a email to THR, Ottman further hit out at the suggestion that the picture is 'misguided.'
'The project is based on Irwin Mazur's firsthand experiences and his legitimate right to tell his own life story and perspective surrounding the events depicted in the film,' Ottman wrote. Ottman said the endeavor will respect Joel's legacy and integrity.
'I have tremendous respect for Billy Joel and his legacy. Our intention has always been to tell an honest, heartfelt story surrounding the young artist before the world knew his name,' Ottman says. Billy & Me is still in the casting stages and is expected to go before cameras in New York City and Winnipeg next year.
