Former Tour Violinist Sues Will Smith Alleging Sexual Harassment and Wrongful Termination

A former violinist and crew member for actor and rapper Will Smith has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing the star and his touring company of wrongful termination, retaliation, and sexual harassment.

The plaintiff, Brian King Joseph, who toured with Smith during the 2025 “Based on a True Story” album tour, claims he was fired after raising concerns about workplace safety and an alleged invasion of his hotel room. Joseph stated that during the Las Vegas stop of the tour, someone unlawfully entered his hotel room, leaving a handwritten note along with personal items including wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication belonging to someone else, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork for an unknown individual.

According to the complaint, the note read: “Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F.” Joseph reported the incident to the hotel, a local non-emergency police line, and Smith’s representatives, expressing fear that someone might return and attempt sexual assault.

Joseph alleges that a few days after notifying Smith’s team, he was accused of fabricating the incident and subsequently terminated from the tour, with another violinist hired as his replacement. The complaint also claims that Smith engaged in behavior described as “deliberately grooming and priming [him] for further sexual exploitation,” suggesting a pattern of predatory conduct. Joseph says the experience caused him PTSD and other mental health issues and is seeking compensatory damages, attorney’s fees, and other relief as determined by a jury.

Representing Smith, attorney Allen B. Grodsky strongly denied the allegations, calling them “false, baseless, and reckless” in a statement to ABC News. Grodsky emphasized that Smith intends to use all legal means to defend against the claims.

The lawsuit follows Smith’s global tour in support of his album “Based on a True Story,” which was released in March 2025, marking his first full-length album in twenty years. The Las Vegas show occurred during the same month, coinciding with the timeframe of the alleged hotel incident.

The case is now pending in Los Angeles, and further developments are expected as legal proceedings move forward.