Will Smith is facing a lawsuit from Brian King Joseph, a violinist who performed on his 2025 tour, accusing the actor and rapper of ‘predatory behaviour’ and ‘grooming’ for ‘sexual exploitation’. The suit, filed in California superior court, also alleges wrongful termination and retaliation against Smith and his management company, Treyball Studios Management.
Joseph claims he was hired for the tour supporting Smith’s album ‘Based on a True Story’ after appearing on stage with him in December 2024. He alleges Smith once told him, ‘You and I have such a special connection that I don’t have with anyone else.’
In March 2025, Joseph says his bag and hotel room key went missing during a Las Vegas tour date, only to be returned hours later. He claims he then found his room had been unlawfully accessed, with wipes and HIV medication bearing another person’s name left behind, along with a note reading: ‘Brian, I’ll be back no later 5.30, just us <3, Stone F.’ Joseph concluded that an unknown individual planned to engage in sexual acts with him.
The suit states that only tour management had access to his room. Joseph notified hotel security and Smith’s representatives, and reported the incident to a non-emergency police line. He claims he was later ‘shamed’ by a Smith management team member and had his contract terminated, with the implication that he fabricated the event. Joseph says he has since suffered PTSD and economic loss.
Smith’s attorney, Allen B Grodsky, denied the allegations in a statement, calling them ‘false, baseless and reckless’, and said they would use legal means to address the claims. Smith’s album ‘Based on a True Story’ was a commercial flop, failing to chart in major territories and receiving a 2.4/10 score from Pitchfork.
