Pierce Brosnan has revealed he settled a secret legal spat with Paul McCartney's brother over a photo he recreated as a painting for his late wife.

Michael MCCartney threatened legal action against the actor after realising his Just Four Guys piece was a colourful reinterpretation of the photographer's black and white shot of the Beatles.

Brosnan painted the picture for his wife Cassandra Harris, who was a big Beatles fan, and had no idea it would cause a fuss.

Showing off the picture and the original MCCartney photo during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday (01May13), the movie star said, "Michael, bless him, took a little umbrage at it... because it's copyrighted and I didn't know anything about copyright... I just did the painting for her.

"Anyway, all is good. Michael's happy, I'm happy..."

Harris died in 1991 and Brosnan is now married to journalist/author Keely Shaye Smith.