Watch Robert De Niro recite Billy Joel lyrics and wish him a “speedy recovery” at the Tribeca Film Festival

Robert De Niro has wished Billy Joel his “love and full support” on the opening night of the Tribeca Film Festival while reciting snippets of his songs.

The ‘Piano Man’ singer was due to appear at the premiere of his two-part documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes, screened on Tribeca’s opening night yesterday (June 4). However, amid his recent diagnosis of brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), Joel was absent from the premiere.

Now, Tribeca co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal have spoken about the legendary musician in their opening remarks. Throughout their speech, they recited lines from hits like ‘Movin’ Out’, ‘Only the Good Die Young’, ‘New York State of Mind’ and ‘You May Be Right’, with De Niro then calling Joel “the poet laureate of New York”.

“Billy wanted to be with us tonight, but as you may have heard, he’s dealing with a health issue and had to postpone his performances – including this one tonight,” Rosenthal added. “We know you’ll join us in wishing him a speedy recovery.”

De Niro continued, saying of the documentary: “He’s our piano man, a wonderful, beautiful part of the heart of our city. Tonight, you get to see the man behind the music and behind the legend. You’re in for a real treat.”

Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal singing Billy Joel as they introduced the Tribeca opening night film pic.twitter.com/uvyzwpBRsi

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 4, 2025

Billy Joel: And So It Goes was screened at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, and was directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin.

The documentary will air on HBO this summer, and is set to explore Joel’s life and music, “exploring the love, loss and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting”. The documentary will also feature access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs, along with one-on-one interviews.

Lacy told the audience at the premiere that Joel “will be back” soon, adding: “He said ‘getting old sucks, but it’s still preferable to getting cremated.’”

Meanwhile, Robert De Niro has said the world has to “stand up” to “bully” Donald Trump while accepting an honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival. He told The Guardian: “We have to stop what’s going on, it’s insane. We can’t have apathy and silence. You have to speak up and risk being harassed.”

During the festival, he also called for people to act “without violence, but with great passion and determination”, urging film fans and the audience to organise, protest, vote, and “show our strength”.

In other news, Billy Joel has insisted that “I’m not dying”.

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