A former violinist and crew member for Will Smith is suing the actor and his touring company, alleging wrongful termination and sexual harassment—claims that Smith’s legal team is strongly denying.
Brian King Joseph, who toured with Smith in 2025, filed a complaint Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Joseph claims he was terminated after reporting workplace safety concerns and an alleged intrusion into his Las Vegas hotel room during the tour.
According to the lawsuit, Joseph discovered that someone had unlawfully entered his room and left a handwritten note along with several personal items, including a beer bottle, wipes, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication in another person’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge papers for someone he did not know. The note reportedly read, “Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F.”
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Joseph said he reported the incident to hotel security, local police, and Smith’s representatives, expressing fear that someone might return and attempt to sexually assault him. He claims that just days after raising these concerns, he was fired and replaced by another violinist, with Smith’s team allegedly accusing him of fabricating the incident.
The lawsuit also alleges that Smith “deliberately groomed and primed” Joseph for further sexual exploitation, describing what Joseph calls a pattern of predatory behavior. The former musician says he has suffered PTSD and other mental health challenges as a result of the alleged incidents and his termination. Joseph is seeking compensatory damages, attorney’s fees, and other relief determined by a jury.
Smith’s attorney, Allen B. Grodsky, denied the allegations in a statement to ABC News, calling them “false, baseless, and reckless” and promising to “use all legal means available” to address the claims.
Smith, who released his first full-length album in two decades, Based on a True Story, toured globally in 2025, including a stop in Las Vegas in March.
The case is set to proceed to trial as the legal battle unfolds.