Will Smith sued for sexual harassment, wrongful termination by tour violinist

The violinist accuses Will Smith of "predatory behavior," "grooming," and wrongful termination in the lawsuit.

By Matt Schimkowitz | January 2, 2026 | 1:33pm

(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

News News Will Smith

Will Smith sued for sexual harassment, wrongful termination by tour violinist

A touring violinist who worked for Will Smith on last year’s “Based on a True Story: 2025 Tour” has sued the Oscar winner for sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Per Variety, which reviewed the suit filed Tuesday, Brian King Joseph accuses Smith of “predatory behavior” and “deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation.” A former America’s Got Talent contestant, Joseph claims he was fired in retaliation after he reported a “hotel intrusion” he feared would lead to unwelcome sexual encounters. Smith denied the allegations through his attorney, Allen B. Grodsky. “Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless,” Grodsky said. “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.”

Joseph first performed with Smith at a concert in San Diego in December 2024. Around this time, Smith reportedly told Joseph, “You and I have such a special connection that I don’t have with anyone else.” Joseph later joined Smith for the March 20, 2025, concert at the House of Blues in Las Vegas. When he arrived for the show, Joseph claims that his bag, which contained his room key, went missing for several hours, and that when it was returned, he was told only Smith’s management team had access to the room. According to NBC News, when he returned to his room around 11 p.m., the suit states, Joseph found several items that did not belong to him, including wipes, a beer bottle, an earring, a red backpack, a stranger’s hospital discharge papers, HIV medication with another person’s name on it, and a note: “Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F.” Joseph claims that he “feared that an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him.

Days after reporting the incident, a representative for Smith told Joseph, “Everyone is telling me that what happened to you is a lie, nothing happened, and you made the whole thing up. So, tell me, why did you lie and make this up?” Joseph was fired shortly after. Though management told Joseph that the tour was moving in a “different direction,” another violinist replaced him. Joseph believes his firing was in retaliation for reporting the incident.

Keep scrolling for more great stories from A.V. Club.

Join the discussion...