A touring violinist has filed a lawsuit against Will Smith, alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination and retaliation stemming from his time working with the artist. Musician Brian King Joseph named Smith and Treyball Studios Management as defendants in the suit, which centers on events that allegedly took place during Smith’s Based on True Story: 2025 Tour earlier this year. According to the complaint, Joseph accuses Smith of alleged “predatory behavior” and claims he was deliberately groomed for further sexual exploitation while under Smith’s professional orbit.
The suit further alleges that troubling incidents occurred during the first leg of the tour in March 2025, beginning with a Las Vegas stop. Joseph claims that hotel rooms had been booked for band and crew members and that his bag, which contained his hotel room key, went missing for several hours before being returned by management. According to the filing, members of management were allegedly the only individuals with access to his room during that time. Later that night, Joseph claims he returned to his room to find evidence of an alleged unauthorized entry. From Variety, the lawsuit states that items left behind included wipes, a bottle of HIV medication bearing another person’s name and a handwritten note reading, “Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F.” Joseph alleges he interpreted the note as a warning that someone he didn’t know was coming back to allegedly engage in sexual activity with him.
Joseph alleges that just days after the incident, a member of Smith’s management team confronted him, shamed him over the situation and informed him that he was being terminated. The lawsuit claims management suggested Joseph fabricated the incident and that his dismissal amounted to alleged retaliation.
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