Will Smith sued for sexual harassment
MUST KNOW
- Professional violinist, Brian King Joseph, has filed a sexual harassment complaint against Will Smith.
- The lawsuit claims that while working on Will Smith's Based on a true story: 2025 tour, Joseph discovered what he claims was evidence of a sexual threat of violence in his hotel room.
- Brian is suing Will and his colleagues for sexual harassment, wrongful termination and retaliation.
Professional violinist Brian King Joseph has filed a lawsuit against actor Will Smith and Treyball Studios Management, Inc., alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination and retaliation.
The complaint was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.
Who is Brian King Joseph?
A native of Washington, DC, Joseph received national recognition as a top-three finalist on America's Got Talent, Season 13 (2018).
In December 2024, he shared a video on Instagram performing on stage, noting in the caption that it marked his first night on tour with Will Smith.
What are the allegations against Will Smith?
According to the lawsuit, Smith “was deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation” after he invited him to join his worldwide tour, Based on a true story: 2025which started in November 2024.
What are Brian's allegations based on?
The complaint describes a “traumatic series of events” in March 2025, during Smith's tour. Joseph claims that someone had entered his Las Vegas hotel room without signs of forced entry. Among the items believed to have been found was a handwritten note which read:
“Brian, I'll be back … just us,” signed with a heart and “Stone F.”
Other items allegedly included tissues, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with the name of another individual, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork from a person Joseph did not know.
Joseph claims that he was “fearful that an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him.
Did Brian report the incident in time?
Brian says he reported the incident to hotel staff, a local non-emergency police line, and Smith's management team.
The lawsuit alleges that a member of tower management later “embarrassed” him and informed him that he was being terminated.
The complaint states that another violinist was then hired to replace Joseph on the tour.
The lawsuit further alleges that the experience caused Joseph “severe emotional distress, economic loss, reputational damage, and other damages,” including “PTSD and other mental illness as a result of the termination.”
Have other members of the Smith family been sued?
This lawsuit follows a December 1 filing by former employee Bilaal Salaam (aka Brother Bilaal), who sued Jada Pinkett Smith, alleging verbal threats.
An entertainment source told PEOPLE that the couple “are really mad and say it's a lot of shit,” and described Salaam as “an opportunistic person who took advantage of her.”
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