Will Smith is facing serious legal allegations after a male musician filed a lawsuit accusing the actor and rapper of sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation.
Violinist Brian King Joseph, who performed on Smith’s Based on a True Story: 2025 Tour, claims the star engaged in “predatory behaviour” and accused him of “deliberately grooming and priming” him for “further sexual exploitation”.
Smith, 57, is internationally recognised for his music career alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff and his leading roles in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Men in Black.
According to Variety, Joseph filed the lawsuit on 30 December in California’s Superior Court, naming both Smith and Treyball Studios Management as defendants. He is seeking a jury trial.
One key allegation in the suit quotes Smith as saying to Joseph: “You and I have such a special connection that I don’t have with anyone else.”
Joseph claims that during a stop on the tour in Las Vegas, his personal bag and hotel room key went missing, and that his room was “unlawfully” accessed. When he returned, he allegedly discovered several unfamiliar items, including wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with another person’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge papers linked to someone he didn’t know.
A note reportedly left in the room read: “Brian, I’ll be back no later 5.30, just us <3 [heart symbol], Stone F.” Joseph claims this led him to believe someone unknown was planning to return for sexual purposes.
He states that only members of the tour management had access to the room, prompting him to notify hotel security, Smith’s representatives, and a non-emergency police line.
However, Joseph alleges he was later “shamed” by a member of Smith’s management team and subsequently fired, with the implication that he had fabricated the incident. The lawsuit asserts that this termination caused him emotional trauma and financial hardship, claiming he now suffers from PTSD and economic loss.
Smith’s legal team has firmly denied the allegations. His attorney, Allen B Grodsky, told the Daily Mail:
“Mr Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless and reckless. 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.”
The case remains ongoing, and Smith has not made a public statement regarding the matter at this stage.
