Will Smith is facing legal action from his former violinist, Brian King Joseph, who has accused the actor of s3xual harassment and retaliation. Smith’s legal team has reportedly already responded to the allegations
According to PEOPLE, Joseph filed the complaint on December 30 in the Superior Court of California, naming both Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management Inc., in the lawsuit.
Joseph alleges that Smith “deliberately groomed and primed” him for sexual exploitation after inviting him to join the 2025 global tour, Based on a True Story, in November 2024. The violinist claims that a “traumatic series of events” unfolded in March 2025, coinciding with the album’s release, while the tour ran from June to September.
One incident cited involves an unknown person allegedly entering Joseph’s Las Vegas hotel room without signs of forced entry. Joseph says he discovered a handwritten note signed “Stone F” that read, “Brian, I’ll be back…just us,” accompanied by a heart drawing. He also claims to have found items including wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication in someone else’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge papers. Joseph says these discoveries led him to fear that someone might return to engage in sexual acts.
The complaint states that Joseph reported the incident to hotel staff, a local non-emergency line, and Smith’s management. He alleges that a member of Smith’s tour team “shamed” him and terminated his employment, later replacing him with another violinist.
While it’s unclear whether Joseph is seeking financial compensation, the lawsuit claims he suffered “severe emotional distress,” along with “economic loss, reputational harm, and other damages,” and continues to experience PTSD and other mental health issues as a result of the alleged events.
Representing Smith, Allen B. Grodsky denied the allegations. “Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless,” Grodsky said in a statement on January 1. “They 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.”
This lawsuit comes less than a month after Jada Pinkett Smith was also named in a separate legal case. Her former associate, Bilaal Salaam, filed a complaint seeking $3 million, claiming she verbally threatened him. A source told PEOPLE that the Smiths were “really mad” over the suit, describing it as “a lot of crap.”
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