'Nothing Was Off Limits': Billy Joel's Life Laid Bare in Candid New Documentary

Music legend Billy Joel is finally telling his life story — unfiltered and unvarnished — in the highly anticipated HBO documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes, premiering tonight, 18 July, at 8:00pm ET. Part Two will follow on 25 July.

The two-part series delves into the highs and lows of the iconic singer-songwriter's six-decade career, from his meteoric rise to fame to deeply personal moments, including his struggles with depression and relationships. Told through rare interviews with Joel himself, family members, and music royalty like Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney, the documentary aims to paint the most complete portrait of the man behind the piano.

Co-director Susan Lacy told the New York Post: 'I asked [Joel] at the very beginning – if there were any sensitive areas. And his answer was, 'Tell the truth. That's the only way to go.'

Nothing was off-limits

Indeed, nothing was off-limits. The film covers everything from Joel's suicide attempt in his twenties — following a failed relationship and affair with his friend's wife, Elizabeth Weber, who later became his first wife — to the evolution of his sound and his marriages, including to supermodel Christie Brinkley, with whom he shares daughter Alexa Ray Joel.

'It was courageous of him to give us that carte blanche,' said co-director Jessica Levin. 'He realised, "I need to do my part, and try to go places where it might not be 100% comfortable for me."'

The Piano Man singer's personal history is anything but ordinary. After his first marriage ended, Joel went on to marry Brinkley (1985–1994), then celebrity chef Katie Lee (2004–2009), and finally current wife Alexis Roderick, with whom he shares daughters Della Rose, 9, and Remy Anne, 7. Despite the emotional weight of some topics, Joel remained hands-off with the film's editing.

'He didn't see the film until it was finished,' Lacy noted. 'And we took that as permission to tell the real story about Billy Joel.'

Masterfully connected the dots

Following the final cut, Joel sent a heartfelt note to Lacy, expressing gratitude. 'He thanked me for so masterfully connecting the dots of his life and said that he now knew why he did what he did.'

However, Joel's health looms large in the background. In May, the 76-year-old revealed he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus — a brain disorder caused by fluid build-up that can affect memory and coordination. The diagnosis came after the documentary was completed, which meant it did not influence the production. Still, Joel skipped the film's Tribeca Film Festival premiere in June.

'I think he's working on recovering, and he's resilient. He's a fighter,' said Lacy.

Daughter Alexa Ray Joel, now 39, has expressed support for the documentary, describing it as 'a reflection of the man behind the melodies.' She stated: 'This is a fearlessly raw, reeling, and shockingly intimate portrait of my father. The deeply layered narrative insights into Dad's richly-textured history left me stunned. (And here I thought I knew everything there was to know about him.)'

She added, 'He's always poured his truth into the music — now we get to see where that truth comes from.'

The documentary's title, And So It Goes, captures Joel's stoic outlook. 'That's Billy,' Levin said. 'He moves on from setbacks, but he's not finished yet. He's still here, still creating, still caring deeply about his family.'