Will Smith is in legal trouble after a lawsuit was filed by professional violinist Brian King Joseph, who toured with the rapper-actor during the Based on a True Story global tour in 2024–2025. A lawsuit filed on Dec. 30th in the Los Angeles County Superior Court claims that Joseph was wrongfully terminated and faced retaliation after reporting sexual harassment, as reported by NBC News.
The complaint claims Smith deliberately “groomed and primed” Joseph with the intent of sexual exploitation, citing predatory-like behavior, repeated one-on-one interactions, and remarks suggesting they shared a special connection.
The lawsuit describes a troubling incident in March 2025 at a hotel in Las Vegas, where Joseph claims that someone entered his hotel room without any signs of forced entry while he was not there. He says that only people from Smith’s team could access it. When Joseph came back, he noticed some strange personal items in the room, like a beer bottle, a backpack, wipes, and a bottle of HIV medication along with hospital discharge papers that belonged to someone else. There was also a note that said, “Brian, I’ll be back no later than 5:30, just us, Stone F.”
Images of Will Smith photo shoot for his ‘Based on a True Story’ tour; Courtesy of Instagram/Will Smith
Concerned for his safety and believing someone was attempting to engage with him inappropriately, Joseph informed hotel security, the police, and Smith’s representatives about the incident.
Days after the incident, Joseph faced accusations of dishonesty and was let go from the tour. Smith’s representative reportedly confronted him, saying, “Everyone is saying that what happened to you is a lie… why did you lie and make this up?”
Joseph says there was no attempt to guarantee his safety after he was let go and that the experience led to PTSD, significant emotional pain, financial loss, and damage to his reputation. Joseph is looking for a trial, compensation for damages, attorney’s fees, and any other relief that a jury may decide, according to ABC News.
Smith’s lawyer, Allen B. Grodsky, firmly rejected the allegations in a statement to E! News, describing the claims as “false, baseless, and reckless” and stating that Smith will use “all legal means available” to challenge the claims.
Knight, who hails from Washington DC, was one of the finalist in season 13 of America’s Got Talent.
