Will Smith is being accused of sexual harassment, “deliberately grooming,” wrongfully terminating, and retaliating against Brian King Joseph — a professional violinist who joined Smith’s global tour, ‘Based on a True Story: 2025,’ in November 2024. Jospeh also competed on ‘America’s Got Talent‘ season 13 in 2018. He landed as a top-three finalist.
According to PEOPLE, Joseph filed his complaint at the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, on Tuesday (December 30) against the ‘Bad Boys’ star, 57, and Treyball Studios Management, Inc. Joseph’s complaint reveals an alleged incident in which he found evidence “of a sexual threat of violence” in his hotel room while working on Smith’s tour.
Jospeh alleges Smith “was deliberately grooming and priming [him] for further sexual exploitation” upon joining the tour. He alleges a “traumatic series of events” in March 2025, amid the tour. In one incident, he alleges someone entered his Las Vegas hotel room without forced entry.
Violinist Brian King Joseph Accuses Will Smith And Tour Associates Of Sexual Harassment, ‘Deliberate Grooming,’ Wrongful Termination, And Retaliation
Joseph claims he found evidence “of a sexual threat of violence,” allegedly including a handwritten note. He claimed it read, “Brian, I’ll be back…just us,” and had a drawn heart and signed, “Stone F.” He also claimed to find “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 [him].”
Joseph claims he “feared that an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him. He also claimed to have reported the alleged incident to hotel staff, a local non-emergency police hotline, and Smith’s management team.
He alleges someone on the tour management team later “shamed” him and announced his pending termination. Joseph claimed Smith’s team hired another violinist to replace him on the tour.
The complaint, which did not specify damages, alleges the entire ordeal caused Joseph “severe emotional distress, economic loss, reputational harm, and other damages,” including “PTSD and other mental illness as a result of the termination.”
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