Professional violinist Brian King Joseph is suing Will Smith and his management team for sexual harassment, wrongful termination and retaliation. The suit was filed on December 30 at the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. According to Variety, Smith and Treyball Studios Management are accused of “deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation” and “predatory behavior.”
In November 2024, Brian King Joseph joined Smith’s global tour for Based On A True Story — Smith’s fifth studio album that dropped in March. While on tour, in March 2025, Joseph claimed that someone entered his Las Vegas hotel room with no signs of forced entry. Someone had left behind “wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with another individual’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork” that belonged to someone Joseph didn’t know. Also left behind was a handwritten note that read: “Brian, I’ll be back…just us,” with a drawn heart and signed, “Stone F.” Joseph reported the incident, alerting hotel security and Smith’s team. Joseph claims that a few days later he was “shamed” and fired.
Yesterday, Smith’s attorney Allen B. Grodsky shared a statement with People: “Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless. 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.”
Earlier this week, Joseph posted a video advocating for a safe work environment and not feeling ashamed to speak out. In the video he said:
The reason why I’m speaking out about this is because getting fired or getting blamed or shamed or threatened or anything like that simply for reporting sexual misconduct or safety threats at work is not okay. I know there’s a lot of other people out there who have been afraid to speak up and I understand. If that’s you, I see you. That’s pretty much it. More updates to come soon. Thanks for listening.
