A lawsuit filed just days before the new year accuses Will Smith of sexual harassment and claims the actor and musician engaged in a pattern of calculated behavior toward a violinist who joined his 2025 concert tour.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles, was brought by Brian King Joseph, a professional violinist who alleges that Smith’s conduct went far beyond professional mentorship and crossed into exploitation.
At the center of the filing is a disturbing claim: that Smith was “deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation.”
From First Performance to Tour Contract
According to the lawsuit, Joseph first performed with Smith in December 2024. Not long after, the “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” performer allegedly invited him to join the “Based on a True Story: 2025 Tour.”
Joseph claims the opportunity expanded quickly. After the initial shows, Smith allegedly offered him a chance to play on several tracks for an upcoming album, which the complaint says led to increased one-on-one time.
The filing states that the two spent time alone, with Smith allegedly telling Joseph that “You and I have such a special connection, that I don’t have with anyone else,” along with other statements emphasizing their closeness.
Las Vegas Stop and a Chilling Discovery
The lawsuit says Joseph joined the first leg of the tour in March 2025, beginning in Las Vegas. Smith and his team allegedly booked Joseph’s hotel room, and Joseph claims “no other individuals besides … the crew and hotel staff would have had access” to it.
After a rehearsal, Joseph says he returned to his hotel room and noticed something was very wrong.
He claims he “discovered evidence suggesting that an unknown person had unlawfully entered the room” and immediately contacted hotel security.
What he says he found was deeply unsettling.
“The evidence included a handwritten note addressed to Plaintiff by name, which read ‘Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F,’” the lawsuit states. “Among the remaining belongings were wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with another individual’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to a person unbeknownst to Plaintiff.”
Joseph feared the person would return to the room to engage in sexual activity, the filing says. He allegedly “immediately notified hotel security and representatives for Defendant, obtained photo documentation, requested a room change, and called the local non-emergency police line (311) to report the incident.”
Blame, Termination, and Fallout
Rather than support, Joseph claims he was met with suspicion.
Days later, the lawsuit alleges Smith’s team began “blaming” him for what happened.
“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 stated.
When Joseph sought clarification, the response described in the filing was blunt.
“When Plaintiff requested … further reasoning, Tim Miller, acting on behalf of Defendants, redirected the blame for the termination onto Plaintiff, replying, ‘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?’”
Joseph later compiled a detailed timeline of events at Miller’s request. Still, the complaint says the decision stood.
“However, following Plaintiff’s report and termination, Defendant hired another violinist to assume the same position on the tour,” the lawsuit states. “This hiring strongly suggested that Defendant’s stated reason for the termination was pretextual.”
Allegations of Grooming and Emotional Harm
The lawsuit paints a broader picture of alleged intent.
“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,” the filing states.
Joseph claims the experience left lasting damage.
“Defendant’s actions caused Plaintiff severe emotional distress, economic loss, reputational harm, and other damages. Plaintiff was also harmed as a result of the stress of losing his job his health deteriorated causing major physiological damage. Plaintiff suffered from PTSD and other mental illness as a result of the termination.”
Smith’s Attorney Pushes Back
Smith’s legal team has flatly denied the allegations.
“Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless,” attorney Allen B. Grodsky said.
“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.”
Separate Lawsuit Adds to Scrutiny
Joseph’s filing comes as another legal dispute involving Smith’s family remains active.
A former associate, Bilaal Salaam, has filed a $3 million lawsuit against Jada Pinkett Smith. In that complaint, Salaam claims Jada confronted him with physical threats and pressured him to sign a nondisclosure agreement during a private gathering at a movie theater in Calabasas for Smith’s birthday in September 2021.
