In the Works
A rep for the singer said that Joel "has not authorized or supported" the making of the John Ottoman-directed doc Billy & Me
A new biopic chronicling the early years of Billy Joel is officially in development, with editor and director John Ottman attached to helm the project. However, a rep for the singer-songwriter said that Joel has not authorized the project.
According to Variety, the film, titled Billy & Me, will explore Joel’s formative years before his breakthrough rise to fame in the 1970s, tracing the experiences and relationships that shaped one of America’s most enduring musical voices.
In response to news of the upcoming film, a representative for Joel slammed the biopic. “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,” the rep told Rolling Stone in a statement. “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.”
Perhaps due to Joel’s lack of involvement, Billy & Me will be told through the perspective of Joel’s first manager, Irwin Mazur, who discovered the future star in 1966 and officially signed him as a client in 1970. Under Mazur’s guidance, Joel would go on to secure a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1972, helping set the stage for his eventual global success.
According to Variety, the production has secured Mazur’s exclusive life rights, along with those of Joel’s longtime friend, drummer, and video director Jon Small, who is set to serve as a consultant, co-executive producer, and second unit director on the film. Filmmaker Adam Ripp is writing the screenplay, and the project will be produced under his ArtPhyl Pictures company.
“This is 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,” Small said of the film. “Billy & Me is grounded in truth, shaped with care, and built with the insight of people who genuinely know and love Billy,” he continued. “Too often, stories about artists get lost in exaggeration or mythmaking. Billy & Me reflects the real history with integrity and respect. I first met Billy when he was 16 years old, and after reading the script, I felt the filmmakers truly understood who he was before the world knew his name.”
Casting for Billy & Me is currently underway, with production scheduled to begin in Fall 2026, with locations in Canada and New York.
Prior to Billy & Me, Ottoman worked as lead editor on the Michael Jackson biopic Michael, which was released earlier this year to massive commercial success and fanfare.
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