Will Smith is facing explosive new allegations in a lawsuit filed just before the new year, with violinist Brian King Joseph accusing the Oscar-winning actor of sexual harassment and more.
According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Joseph claims Smith was “deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation.”
The suit, filed in Los Angeles, names Smith and individuals affiliated with his Treyball Studios Management, Inc.
Violinist claims tour with Smith turned into personal nightmare
Joseph, known for his standout appearance on America’s Got Talent in 2018, says it all began after a December 2024 performance with Smith.
That encounter reportedly led to him being hired for the star’s upcoming “Based on a True Story: 2025 Tour.”
Things moved quickly. Joseph says their relationship deepened after he was invited to contribute to multiple tracks on Smith’s upcoming album.
According to the lawsuit, Smith began spending more time with him one-on-one, allegedly telling Joseph: “You and I have such a special connection, that I don’t have with anyone else,” along with other similar remarks.
Joseph joined the tour’s first leg in March 2025, starting in Las Vegas. He was given a hotel room arranged by Smith’s team and says only the crew and hotel staff had access.
He alleges that after a rehearsal, his bag containing the room key was left in the cast van. When the bag was eventually retrieved and he returned to his room, Joseph says he found disturbing signs someone had broken in.
Chilling note and items found in hotel room spark fear
Inside the room, Joseph claims he discovered a handwritten note that read: “Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F.”
Also allegedly left behind were items including a red backpack, an earring, wipes, a beer bottle, HIV medication under someone else’s name, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to a stranger.
Fearing a potential sexual encounter with an intruder, Joseph says he immediately contacted hotel security, took photos, requested a new room, and reported the incident to local authorities using the 311 non-emergency line.
But instead of support, Joseph alleges Smith’s team turned on him just days later.
Smith’s team allegedly blamed Joseph and terminated him
“Rather than being protected against further assault, and for attempting to understanding Plaintiff’s complaint, Plaintiff was shamed by Defendant and told that he was being terminated,” the complaint reads.
When Joseph pushed for an explanation, he says tour manager Tim Miller snapped back: “I don’t know, you tell me, because 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?”
Despite compiling a detailed timeline of the events at Miller’s request, Joseph says the job was gone. Another violinist was brought in to replace him on the tour - a move Joseph argues shows his termination wasn’t justified.
According to the lawsuit, “The facts strongly suggest that Defendant Willard Carroll Smith II was deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation.
"The sequence of events, Smith’s prior statements to Plaintiff, and the circumstances of the hotel intrusion all point to a pattern of predatory behavior rather than an isolated incident.”
Joseph says the experience has left him with emotional trauma, financial losses, and damage to his reputation. He also claims the stress impacted his health, causing “major physiological damage” and PTSD.