Will Smith is facing a civil lawsuit filed by professional violinist Brian King Joseph, who has accused the Hollywood star and his production company of sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation.
The 32-year-old musician, who reached the final three on America’s Got Talent in 2018, lodged the complaint at the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County on Tuesday.
The legal action names both the 57-year-old Oscar winner and Treyball Studios Management as defendants.
According to court documents, Mr Joseph alleges that Mr Smith engaged in “predatory behavior” and was “deliberately grooming and priming Mr Joseph for further sexual exploitation” during the Based on a True Story: 2025 tour, which began earlier this year.
Will Smith is being sued for sexual harassment
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The lawsuit centres on an alleged incident that occurred on March 20, 2025, when the tour reached Las Vegas.
Mr Joseph claims he returned to his hotel room at approximately 11pm to find evidence that someone had gained entry without any signs of forced break-in.
Inside the room, he allegedly discovered a handwritten note reading “Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us,” accompanied by a drawn heart and signed “Stone F.”
The complaint states that additional items were left behind, including wipes, a beer bottle, a red rucksack, an earring, and hospital discharge documents belonging to an unknown individual.
Will Smith is also a rapper as well as an actor
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Mr Joseph claims he interpreted these discoveries as a threat that someone intended to return and engage in sexual acts with him against his will.
Mr Joseph’s complaint alleges that the grooming began when he first met Mr Smith in November 2024, after being invited to perform at the actor’s home.
The pair subsequently spent increasing amounts of time alone together in the months before the tour commenced.
During this period, Mr Smith allegedly remarked to the violinist: “You and I have such a special connection, that I don’t have with anyone else.”
Will Smith has starred in a number of Hollywood blockbusters
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Following the hotel room discovery, Mr Joseph reported the matter to venue security, a non-emergency police line, and the tour’s management team.
However, he claims a member of management subsequently accused him of fabricating the entire incident.
According to the lawsuit, he was told: “Everyone is telling me that what happened to you is a lie, nothing happened, and you made the whole thing up.”
Days later, Mr Joseph was dismissed from the tour.
Will Smith is an Oscar-winning actor
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Management allegedly informed Mr Joseph that the tour was “moving in a different direction,” yet the lawsuit contends that another violinist was swiftly hired to fill his position, undermining this explanation.
The complaint alleges that the ordeal has caused Mr Joseph severe emotional distress, damage to his professional reputation, and significant financial harm.
He claims to have developed post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions as a direct consequence of his dismissal.
Mr Joseph is pursuing claims for retaliation, wrongful termination, and sexual harassment, with the quantum of damages to be decided by a jury.
Neither Mr Smith nor his representatives have publicly addressed the allegations contained in the lawsuit.