Billy Joel attacks unauthorized biopic

A biopic that tells the story of Billy Joel’s early life is in the works, but the artist is not involved in the project and – reports “The Hollywood Reporter” – is criticizing the film, calling it “legally and professionally misleading”.

John Ottman, who edited the recent “Michael,” is directing “Billy & Me,” while Adam Ripp is writing the screenplay. For the project, Ottman and Ripp obtained the rights to the lives of Billy Joel’s former manager, Irwin Mazur, and Joel’s longtime friend Jon Small. However, as a representative for Joel states, the singer has been in contact with the filmmakers for several years to reiterate that they do not own his personal rights to the film.

“As of 2021, the parties involved have been officially notified that they do not own the rights to Billy Joel’s life and will not be able to obtain the music rights necessary for this project,” Joel’s representative said in a statement. “Billy Joel has not authorized or supported this project in any way, and any attempt to proceed without such rights would be legally and professionally misguided.”

Ottman was, in addition to being the editor of “Michael”, the film about Michael Jackson, he was also the editor of the 2018 Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody”, for which he won the Oscar for best editing.

Contacted by “The Hollywood Reporter”, Ripp explained:

“’Billy & Me’ is not a traditional biopic of Billy Joel from birth to old age, nor does it depend on Billy Joel’s original music catalog,” he wrote. “The film takes place during Billy’s formative years: before the fame, before the fortune, and before the iconic songs that made him ‘The Piano Man.’ Much of the period depicted revolves around Billy’s early years performing covers with The Hassles and trying to find his artistic identity as a young musician.”

“We have never claimed, at any time, that we control or own the rights to Billy Joel’s original songs, nor was the film ever conceived around the use of his catalog of hits. The project was always intended to be an intimate origin story, focusing on the people and relationships that surrounded Billy during that specific time in his life. The film is told primarily from the point of view of Irwin Mazur, who discovered Billy when he was a teenager and managed him for approximately seven years. We own exclusive rights to Irwin’s life Mazur.

Additionally, we also own the rights to the life of Billy’s lifelong best friend and lead drummer, Jon Small, who is actively involved in the production as a consultant, co-executive producer and second unit director. Jon personally collaborated on the screenplay and fully supports the film as someone who experienced the events depicted firsthand. We have enormous respect for Billy Joel and his extraordinary artistic legacy. Our intention has always been to tell an honest and heartfelt story about the early years of a young artist, before the world knew his name.”