Billy Joel will not grant music rights to an unauthorized text. The legendary singer, through his representative, expressed his condemnation of the upcoming biopic “Billy and Me,” which will begin filming in the fall.
He called it “legally and professionally misleading” and the 77-year-old refused to support it by withholding the rights to life and music.
Billy Joel is not supporting a new biopic surrounding him
The feature film, directed by John Hautman, was announced on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. “Since 2021, interested parties have been formally notified that they do not own the rights to Billy Joel’s life and will be unable to secure the rights to the music required for this project,” the statement read, according to People magazine.
Furthermore, the Grammy winner firmly believes that the project, if it goes ahead with a license, would be misleading in all respects.On the other hand, screenwriter Adam Ripp said that the team had not expressed interest in owning the rights to the music, and the film was never conceived around using its catalog of success, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “The project was always designed to be an intimate origin story focusing on the people and relationships surrounding Billy during this specific period of his life,” he said.
About “Billy and Me”
“Billy and Me” tells the story of Joel’s first manager, Irwin Mazur, who is said to have discovered the singer, signed him, and coached his career until his career breakthrough the following year with Piano Man, according to Variety. As casting for the film began, the director acquired the rights to Mazur’s career and drummer John Small, who is also attached to the film in multiple roles as executive director. John Small and Billy Joel formed a band together in the 1960s but broke up in 1971, when it was revealed that Joel was having an affair with Small’s wife, Elizabeth Weber.
