Will Smith is facing a lawsuit filed December 30 by a violinist who alleges sexual harassment and wrongful termination, adding another layer to the actor’s ongoing career challenges.
Musician Accuses Will Smith of Predatory Behavior
The lawsuit details disturbing allegations against the actor during and after his 2025 tour.
- Musician Brian King Joseph claims Smith engaged in “grooming” behavior after first meeting in November 2024.
- Joseph alleges finding concerning items and a threatening note in his hotel room during the tour.
- The lawsuit states Joseph was fired days after reporting the incident to tour management.
- Smith’s attorney has vehemently denied the allegations as “false, baseless and reckless.”
- Joseph is seeking damages for retaliation, wrongful termination, and sexual harassment.
Brian King Joseph, 33, accuses Smith, 57, and Treybull Studios Management of creating a hostile environment, according to reports from Variety and other outlets. The suit alleges “predatory behavior” stemming from Joseph’s involvement in Smith’s “Based on a True Story” tour last year.
What kind of connection did Smith allegedly claim to have with Joseph? Smith reportedly told Joseph they shared “such a special connection that I don’t have with anyone else,” setting the stage for what Joseph describes as a pattern of unwanted attention.
Joseph’s involvement began when Smith hired him to perform at a show in San Diego in November 2024. He was later invited to join the full 2025 tour and contribute to Smith’s first album in two decades, Based on a True Story, released in March.
The lawsuit details a disturbing incident in Las Vegas during the tour’s first leg in March 2025. Joseph claims that upon returning to his hotel room—booked for the band and crew—he found evidence of unauthorized entry, including a bottle of beer, wet wipes, a bottle of HIV medication not prescribed to him, a red backpack, a hoop earring, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to an unknown individual.
Adding to the unsettling discovery, Joseph alleges he found a note reading: “Brian, I will be back before [sic] 5.30 a.m. m, only ours… Stone F”. He interpreted this as a threat indicating an imminent unwanted sexual encounter.
After reporting the incident to hotel security and Smith’s tour management, Joseph claims he was met with accusations of lying and public shaming. Days later, he was allegedly fired, told the tour was “going in another direction,” despite the subsequent hiring of another violinist.
Joseph is now seeking damages for alleged post-traumatic stress disorder and financial losses. The lawsuit requests a jury determine the extent of the damages. Smith’s attorney has issued a strong denial, stating Joseph’s allegations are “false, baseless and reckless” and will be “categorically denied,” according to a statement given to Daily Beast.
Joseph previously appeared as a contestant on America’s Got Talent in 2018.
