Will Smith
The actor is being sued by a violinist on his tour who believes he was fired in retaliation after reporting an incident in his hotel room.
The actor and musician Will Smith is being sued by a violinist who performed on his 2025 tour, alleging predatory behavior, unfair dismissal and retaliation.
The lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court, was brought by Brian King Josepha classically trained violinist who claims that Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management, engaged in inappropriate conduct that caused him psychological and financial harm, says .
According to the complaint, Joseph was hired to perform on Smith’s tour in support of his album “Based on a True Story” after having performed alongside the artist on stage in December 2024. Joseph alleges that Smith made personal comments suggesting a special emotional bond, including saying that shared a “special bond” unlike anything Smith had with other people. The guitarist also accuses the actor of “deliberately preparing and manipulating” him for “greater sexual exploitation”.
The lawsuit centers on an incident that occurred during a tour stop in Las Vegas in March 2025. Joseph claims that his suitcase and hotel room key disappeared and were returned a few hours later. That night, he says he returned to the room and found evidence that it had been accessed without permission. According to the lawsuit, HIV medication with someone else’s name on it, wipes and a handwritten note were found in the room. The note said: “Brian, I’ll be back at 5:30pm at the latest, just the three of us <3, Stone F.”
Joseph alleges that he feared someone would return to the room to have sex with him without his consent. The lawsuit states that only members of the tour management team had access to the room. The guitarist says he alerted hotel security, informed Smith’s representatives and reported the case to the police via a non-emergency line.
The lawsuit further alleges that Joseph was subsequently humiliated by a member of Smith’s management team and that his contract was terminated shortly afterwith the implication that the incident had been invented. Joseph claims the termination was retaliation for filing a complaint and alleges it caused him post-traumatic stress disorder and significant financial losses.
Smith vehemently denied the allegations. In a statement to the Daily Mail, his lawyer, Allen B. Grodsky, described the allegations as “false, unfounded and irresponsible”, adding that they are “categorically denied” and will be challenged in court.
The process comes at a challenging time for Smith’s musical career. Based on a True Story, his first album in two decades, referenced, in part, the 2022 Oscars incident in which Smith attacked comedian Chris Rock. The album did not enter the top charts in the main markets and received negative reviews.
