Violinist Sues Will Smith Over Harassment and Termination

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Will Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management Inc., are facing a lawsuit from an electric violinist who claims he was wrongfully terminated, retaliated against, and subjected to sexual harassment. The allegations have been denied by the actor, rapper, and producer in a statement from his attorney.

Brian King Joseph, a contestant on Season 13 of "America's Got Talent," has filed a lawsuit alleging that Will Smith hired him for the 2025 "Based on a True Story" tour but fired him before the tour started in Europe and the U.K. Joseph shared a video on Instagram before filing the lawsuit, stating that he had been hired for a major tour with a prominent figure in the industry. He mentioned that "some things happened" that he couldn't discuss due to legal reasons.

Joseph emphasized that being fired or blamed for reporting sexual misconduct or safety threats at work is unacceptable. He encouraged others who may have faced similar issues to speak up, saying, "I see you."

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, states that Joseph and Smith developed a professional relationship in November 2024. Joseph performed at two of Smith’s shows in San Diego and was invited to contribute to tracks on Smith’s "Based on a True Story" album, which was released on March 28. After the performances, Joseph posted an Instagram video expressing gratitude for the opportunity to perform with "legends and a dream team of musicians."

During the album production, the lawsuit claims that Smith and Joseph spent additional time together, with Smith reportedly saying, "You and I have such a special connection, that I don’t have with anyone else." Joseph then joined Smith and his crew for a performance in Las Vegas on March 20 at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. While traveling to rehearsal, Joseph left his bag, containing his room key, in a van. It went missing for a few hours after he requested someone retrieve it.

Upon returning to his hotel room late that night, Joseph found evidence that someone had entered without permission. The items included a handwritten note addressed to him, wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, HIV medication with another person's name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork. Joseph feared that an unknown individual might return to engage in sexual acts with him. He alerted hotel security, representatives from Treyball and Smith, took pictures, requested a new room, and reported the incident to the police via a non-emergency line. Hotel security found no signs of forced entry, and Joseph flew home the next day.

Several days later, a Treyball representative informed Joseph that the tour was going in a different direction and that his services were no longer needed. The representative allegedly shifted the blame onto Joseph, asking, "I don’t know, you tell me, because everyone is telling me that what happened to you is a lie, nothing happened, and you made the whole thing up. So, tell me, why did you lie and make this up?" Joseph was shocked by the accusation and had no further response.

Joseph alleges that the events in Las Vegas caused severe emotional distress, economic loss, and harm to his reputation. He also claims that the stress of losing the job led to deteriorating health and the development of PTSD and other mental illnesses. The lawsuit further states that the sequence of events suggests that Smith was grooming Joseph for further sexual exploitation.

The Times could not reach publicists or a lawyer for Will Smith due to the holiday. However, Smith's attorney, Allen B. Grodsky, told Fox News that the allegations against his client are false, baseless, and reckless, and that they will be addressed through legal means.

Joseph's attorney, Jonathan J. Delshad, recently filed sexual assault civil suits against Tyler Perry on behalf of actors who claim they were not hired for future work after rejecting his advances.

Joseph is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as payment of attorney fees. The "Based on a True Story" tour played 26 dates in Europe and the U.K. last summer, with nine headlining gigs and the rest being festivals.