Billy Joel has expressed his opposition to the recently announced plans for a film about his life.

According to Variety, casting is already in progress for director John Ottman’s Billy & Me, which will depict Joel’s pre-fame career from the perspective of his former manager Irwin Mazur.

The film’s producers have reportedly obtained the rights to Mazur’s life story, as well as those of Jon Small, who played drums alongside Joel in the late ’60s band the Hassles before they formed the heavy metal duo Attila.

Read More: How Billy Joel Briefly Went Heavy Metal

The latter group disbanded when Joel began an affair with Small’s wife, who would eventually divorce the drummer and marry Joel. As revealed in Joel’s recent documentary And So It Goes, this incident led the singer to attempt suicide, resulting in a coma that lasted for several days.

“I felt very, very guilty about it. They had a child. I felt like a homewrecker,” he recalled. “I was just in love with a woman and I got punched in the nose which I deserved. Jon was very upset. I was very upset.”

It remains unclear if Billy & Me will address this affair and its aftermath, but regardless of the content, Joel has made it clear that he does not want his life story to be handled by others.

“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,” states a message provided to Variety by a representative for the singer.

“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.”