Actor-Musician Will Smith Faces Lawsuit for Alleged Wrongful Termination and Retaliation

By Jack Smart
January 1, 2026

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What You Need to Know:

• Professional violinist Brian King Joseph has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Will Smith and his company.

• The lawsuit details an alleged incident where Joseph found evidence of a "sexual threat of violence" in his hotel room while working on Smith's Based on a True Story: 2025 tour.

• A lawyer for Smith has labeled the allegations as “false, baseless, and reckless,” promising a full legal response.

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Brian King Joseph, a respected violinist, has filed a lawsuit against actor Will Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management, Inc., alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation. The lawsuit, which was filed on December 30, 2025, in the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County, comes after Joseph was invited to join Smith's global tour, Based on a True Story: 2025, in November 2024.

The complaint claims that Smith allegedly “groomed and primed” Joseph for future sexual exploitation after bringing him on tour. The suit includes shocking allegations of a “traumatic series of events” that occurred in March 2025, during the tour, when Joseph claims that someone had entered his hotel room in Las Vegas without forced entry. The violinist found disturbing evidence, including a handwritten note that read, “Brian, I’ll be back...just us,” signed “Stone F,” alongside several other items such as wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, an earring, and hospital discharge papers belonging to an unknown person.

Joseph's lawsuit further states that he feared an imminent return from the person responsible for the intrusion, who he believed intended to engage in sexual acts with him. The violinist reported the incident to both hotel staff and local authorities. According to the complaint, after Joseph informed Smith's management team about the situation, a member of the tour management allegedly “shamed” him and informed him that he was being terminated. It was then allegedly revealed that another violinist had been hired to take his place on the tour.

The emotional toll of these events, Joseph claims, was immense, leading to severe emotional distress, PTSD, reputational damage, economic loss, and other forms of mental harm. He further argues that his termination added to his suffering, as it exacerbated the psychological and financial challenges he was already facing.

In response to the allegations, Smith's lawyer, Allen B. Grodsky, issued a statement on January 1, calling the claims “false, baseless, and reckless.” The attorney categorically denied the accusations, pledging to use every legal tool available to clear Smith’s name and bring the truth to light.

Joseph, a talented musician who previously competed on America’s Got Talent in 2018 and earned a spot as a top-three finalist, made headlines again in December 2024 when he shared a video on Instagram of himself performing on stage during the first night of the Based on a True Story tour. His inclusion in Smith’s high-profile tour was seen as a big career opportunity, but it has now become the center of a high-profile legal battle.

This lawsuit follows another controversy involving Will Smith’s family. On December 1, 2025, a $3 million lawsuit was filed by former associate Bilaal Salaam (also known as Brother Bilaal), accusing Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, of verbally threatening him. Sources close to the Smith family have described Salaam as an opportunistic individual looking to exploit the situation, dismissing the claims as “nonsense.”

Despite the ongoing legal challenges, Smith’s Based on a True Story tour continued its run from June to September 2025, following the release of his album in March. The controversy surrounding these lawsuits has cast a shadow over Smith’s public image, but his legal team remains confident that they will prove his innocence in court.

Joseph’s lawsuit serves as a stark reminder of the high stakes and personal toll involved in the entertainment industry, where power dynamics and workplace harassment can sometimes collide with devastating consequences. As this case unfolds, many are watching closely to see how Smith and his team will navigate the legal challenges ahead.