Award-winning entertainer Will Smith is facing a civil lawsuit from a former tour violinist who alleges sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination linked to Smith’s 2025 concert tour.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday and reviewed by Variety, was brought by musician Brian King Joseph, who names Smith and Treyball Studios Management as defendants. The complaint accuses Smith of engaging in “predatory behavior” and “deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation” while on the “Based on a True Story: 2025 Tour” earlier this year.
According to the filing, Smith first hired Joseph in November 2024 to perform at a San Diego show. Joseph, who previously appeared on “America’s Got Talent,” was later invited to join Smith’s 2025 tour and contribute to an upcoming album project.
The suit claims that as their professional relationship progressed, Smith made increasingly personal remarks, including telling Joseph that “you and I have such a special connection, that I don’t have with anyone else,” along with similar statements.
The complaint centers on events that allegedly occurred during the first leg of the tour in March 2025, beginning with a stop in Las Vegas. Joseph states that hotel accommodations were arranged for band and crew members and that his bag containing his hotel room key went missing for several hours. He alleges that members of management were the “only individuals with access to [his] room” during that time.
Later that evening, Joseph claims he returned to his hotel room to find signs of what he describes as an unlawful entry. According to the suit, items left behind included wipes, a bottle of HIV medication bearing another person’s name, and a handwritten note that read, “Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F.” Joseph says he interpreted the note as a warning that “an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him.
The lawsuit states that Joseph immediately contacted hotel security, notified Smith’s representatives, and reported the incident through a non-emergency police line.
He alleges that within days of raising the issue, a member of the management team confronted and “shamed” him, ultimately informing him that his services were no longer needed. The suit further claims that management suggested Joseph fabricated the incident.
As a result of the termination, Joseph alleges he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and significant financial losses. He is seeking damages for sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination, with compensation to be determined by a jury.
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