Michael Stipe has suggested that Billie Eilish could portray a younger version of him in a potential biopic about the band R.E.M. The comment came during his appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Thursday, April 23, 2026, when host Stephen Colbert raised the idea of a film about the influential rock group amid a wave of musician biopics in recent years.
When Colbert asked who might play Stipe, joking that “It’s got to be David Cross” for the bearded version of the singer, the conversation turned to who could depict his younger self. Stipe responded, “Maybe Billie Eilish could do it,” to which Colbert agreed, noting their similar blue eyes. Stipe too shared that he and Eilish had met briefly when she held a door for him at a Manhattan restaurant, describing her as “incredibly polite and sweet,” though he did not recognize her at the time.
The discussion occurred as Stipe promoted his upcoming debut solo album, which he said is receiving final touches and is expected for release in 2026. He described one track as capturing “the sound of a tree hearing itself for the first time,” blending elements reminiscent of Daft Punk with a sea shanty. During the show, he also performed live for the first time his new solo song, “The Rest Of Ever,” highlighting the deep, husky quality of his current vocal register.
Stipe’s remarks reflect his ongoing creative output since R.E.M.’s amicable split in 2011. He has released several solo projects since then, including the 2019 single “Your Capricious Soul,” followed by “Drive To The Ocean” in 2020 and a collaboration with Aaron Dessner of The National titled “No Time For Love Like Now,” also released in 2020. More recently, he teamed up with Andrew Watt, Josh Klinghoffer, and Travis Barker to create the theme song for the television show Rooster.
Despite the band’s dissolution, Stipe has maintained positive relationships with his former R.E.M. Bandmates—guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry. The quartet reunited in summer 2024 for their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, where they performed an acoustic version of their 1991 hit “Losing My Religion,” marking their first live performance together since 2007. Berry had departed the band in 1997 during its commercial peak, while the official split occurred in 2011.
In the months following the Hall of Fame induction, Stipe joined Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy for performances as part of the “Lifes Rich Pageant” 40th-anniversary tour, playing renditions of R.E.M.’s “These Days” and “The Great Beyond” in Brooklyn. A year prior, he had also performed “Pretty Persuasion” with the same collaborators at another Brooklyn show.
Stipe has also used social media platforms like Bluesky to address long-standing misinterpretations of R.E.M.’s lyrics, particularly from the song “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” noting that many fans have misunderstood certain lines for decades and offering clarifications based on his original intent.
As of April 2026, no official announcements have been made regarding the development of an R.E.M. Biopic, casting decisions, or a definitive release date for Stipe’s solo album. Fans and industry observers await further updates from the artist’s representatives or official channels.
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