Professional violinist Brian King Joseph has filed a lawsuit against actor Will Smith, 57, and his company, Treyball Studios Management, Inc., alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation.
The complaint was filed on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, against the Fresh Prince of Bel Air star.
The complaint alleges that Smith “was deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation.” This accusation stems from Smith inviting Joseph to join his global tour, Based on a True Story: 2025, in November 2024, according to People.
The lawsuit details an alleged “traumatic series of events” that occurred during Will Smith’s tour in March 2025. Joseph claims that upon entering his Las Vegas hotel room, he discovered no signs of forced entry but found evidence “of a sexual threat of violence.”
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This evidence allegedly included several items: a handwritten note signed “Stone F” that read, “Brian, I’ll be back…just us,” accompanied by a drawn heart; a red backpack; wipes and a beer bottle; an earring; and hospital discharge paperwork and a bottle of HIV medication, both belonging to an individual unknown to Joseph.
Joseph alleges he “feared that an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him, according to the complaint.
The complaint alleges that after Joseph reported the incident to the hotel staff, a local non-emergency police line, and Smith’s management team, a member of the tour management team subsequently “shamed” him and informed him of his termination. According to the complaint, another violinist was then allegedly hired to fill the position on the tour.
The incident caused Joseph “severe emotional distress, economic loss, reputational harm, and other damages,” including “PTSD and other mental illness as a result of the termination,” reads the complaint.
However, in a statement given to People on January 1st, Will Smith’s attorney, Allen B. Grodsky, vehemently denied the accusations, saying, “Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless.” Grodsky added that the claims “are categorically denied, and we will use all legal means available to address these claims and to ensure that the truth is brought to light.”
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Joseph, a Washington, D.C. native, was a top-three finalist on America’s Got Talent season 13 in 2018. In December 2024, the violinist began touring with Will Smith, sharing a video of his performance on Instagram to mark the first night.
This development follows a separate $3 million lawsuit filed on December 1st against his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, by former associate Bilaal Salaam (also known as Brother Bilaal).
Salaam alleges that Jada Pinkett Smith verbally threatened him. According to an entertainment source who spoke to People, the couple “are really mad and say it’s a lot of crap,” dismissing Salaam as “an opportunistic person out to exploit them.”
Following the March 2025 release of his titular album, Will Smith embarked on his Based on a True Story tour, which ran from June to September 2025.
