Will Smith has been sued by a tour violinist who accused the rapper of sexual harassment, wrongful termination and retaliation. In the suit filed on December 31, 2025, the musician Brian King Joseph named Will and Treyball Studios Management as defendants.
Brian accused the Oscar-winning actor of "predatory behavior" and "deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation" while on his Based on a True Story: 2025 Tour this past spring.
According to the suit, Will hired Joseph in November 2024 to perform at a show in San Diego and later invited him to join his 2025 tour and play on his upcoming album. As their relationship progressed, Will allegedly told Joseph that "you and I have such a special connection, that I don’t have with anyone else."
© Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TheJoseph detailed an incident that occurred during Will's tour in March 2025 for a show in Las Vegas. The musician's bag, which contained his hotel room key, went missing for several hours before management found it and returned it to him. According to the suit, members of management were the "only individuals with access to [his] room."
Later that evening, Joseph returned to discover that someone had allegedly entered the room "unlawfully" and left behind personal items, including wipes and a bottle of HIV medication bearing another person’s name, and a note that read" "Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F." Joseph saw this as a warning that "an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts" with him.
Joseph informed the hotel's security, Will's representatives, and reported the incident to a non-emergency police line. Joseph added that he "made clear that his only concern was safety and that he did not wish to receive any special treatment or compensation."
© Getty ImagesHe alleged that the management team later "shamed" him over the incident and maintained that he had fabricated the claims. The musician's contract was then terminated.
The lawsuit alleges that as a result of his termination, Joseph experienced PTSD and financial losses. He is seeking damages for retaliation, wrongful termination, and sexual harassment, with the amount to be determined by a jury. The suit was filed at the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.
© Getty Images for Paramount PictuWill's attorney Allen B. Grodsky has denied these allegations in a statement to Daily Mail, which read: "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."
