Who wants a bottle of red? How about a bottle of white? How about a Billy Joel biopic on the silver screen? According to reports, John Ottman (Urban Legends: Final Cut, Michael) is directing a feature film about the Piano Man’s formative years. The project, titled Billy & Me, is currently in development, with production slated for this fall in Winnipeg, Canada, and New York.
Variety says Billy & Me tells the origin story of Joel before he hit the big time, significantly before “Piano Man,” the 1973 song that launched the ivory tickler’s stardom. The biopic is told through the eyes of Joel’s first manager, Irwin Mazur, who discovered the singer in 1966, signed him in 1970, and oversaw his career up to his breakthrough deal with Columbia in 1972. Casting is currently underway.
My complex relationship with Joel
Having grown up in Long Island, New York, I’m too acquainted with Billy Joel to the point of never wanting to hear a note of his music ever again. I’m half joking. I recognize Joel’s immense talents; it’s simply that, when you live on the island, his music is everywhere, all the time. Whether it’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” “Piano Man,” “Uptown Girl,” Movin’ Out,” “The Longest Time,” I actually like that one, or “New York State of Mind,” Joel’s music is, in a word, inescapable. My parents love him. I’ve dated a few girls who think he’s amazing, and my brother-in-law once built a few motorcycles for him. Yeah. My Billy Joel roots run deep.
Anyway, the production has secured Mazur’s exclusive life rights, as well as those of Joel’s longtime friend, drummer and video director Jon Small, who is also on board as a consultant, co-executive producer and second unit director. This news is great, as this first-hand knowledge will only add to the film’s authenticity.
Small and Ottman talk about Joel’s legacy
“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,” says Small. “‘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, humor, and creative spark that defined those years.”
He continues, “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.”
“I’m really proud of the development work Adam Ripp and I did to shape ‘Billy & Me’ into both a deeply emotional and fun story,” Ottman added. “This is the formative years of Billy and his relationship with Irwin Mazur, the man who recognized Billy’s amazing talent even before Billy did himself. Sure, the long hair, cigarette smoke and authentic look of the period turns me on as a filmmaker, but what truly drew me to the material was the humanity at its core. It’s funny, heartbreaking, and ultimately very inspiring.”
Are you a Billy Joel fan? What’s your favorite song of his? Do you think it’s wise for the screenplay to focus on his life before “Piano Man” skyrocketed his career? Let us know in the comments!
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