AAP
NEED TO KNOW
- Professional violinist, Brian King Joseph, has filed a sexual harassment complaint against Will Smith.
- The lawsuit alleges 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 associates 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 submitted to the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.
Who is Brian King Joseph?
A native of Washington, D.C., Joseph gained 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 onstage, noting in the caption that it marked his first night touring 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 inviting him to join his global tour, Based on a True Story: 2025, which began in November 2024.
What are Brian’s allegations based off?
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 any signs of forced entry. Among the items allegedly found was a handwritten note stating:
“Brian, I’ll be back…just us,” signed with a heart and “Stone F.”
Other items reportedly included wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with another individual’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to a person unbeknownst to Joseph.
Joseph claims he “feared that an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him.
Did Brian report the incident at the 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 tour management member later “shamed” him and informed him that he was being terminated.
The complaint states another violinist was then hired to replace Joseph on the tour.
The lawsuit further claims the experience caused Joseph “severe emotional distress, economic loss, reputational harm, and other damages,” including “PTSD and other mental illness as a result of the termination.”
Are other members of the Smith family being sued?
This lawsuit follows a December 1 filing by former associate Bilaal Salaam (a.k.a. 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 crap,” describing Salaam as “an opportunistic person out to exploit them.”
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
