Hold up, #Socialites, because we’ve got some heavy news. Global superstar Will Smith is facing serious accusations, including sexual harassment, “deliberate grooming,” wrongful termination, and retaliation. These claims come from Brian King Joseph, a talented professional violinist who joined Smith’s global tour, ‘Based on a True Story: 2025,’ in November 2024. You might remember Joseph as a top-three finalist from ‘America’s Got Talent‘ season 13 back in 2018.
According to a report from PEOPLE, Joseph officially filed his complaint at the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, this past Tuesday, December 30th. The lawsuit names the ‘Bad Boys’ icon, 57, and Treyball Studios Management, Inc. Joseph’s complaint highlights an unsettling alleged incident where he discovered evidence of a “sexual threat of violence” right in his hotel room while on Smith’s tour.
Joseph alleges that upon joining the tour, Smith “was deliberately grooming and priming [him] for further sexual exploitation.” The complaint details a “traumatic series of events” occurring in March 2025. In one particularly disturbing incident, Joseph claims someone gained entry to his Las Vegas hotel room without forced entry.
Violinist Brian King Joseph Accuses Will Smith And Tour Associates Of Sexual Harassment, ‘Deliberate Grooming,’ Wrongful Termination, And Retaliation
Joseph further claims he discovered unsettling evidence pointing to a “sexual threat of violence.” This allegedly included a handwritten note that read, “Brian, I’ll be back…just us,” complete with a drawn heart and signed, “Stone F.” Beyond the note, he reportedly found “wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with another individual’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork” — all items he didn’t recognize.
Understandably, Joseph states he “feared that an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him. He took immediate action, reporting the alleged incident to hotel staff, a local non-emergency police hotline, and Smith’s management team.
However, instead of support, Joseph alleges that someone on the tour management team later “shamed” him and announced his impending termination. He claims Smith’s team swiftly hired another violinist to take his place on the tour.
While the complaint doesn’t specify monetary damages, it clearly states that this entire ordeal has caused Joseph “severe emotional distress, economic loss, reputational harm, and other damages,” including “PTSD and other mental illness as a result of the termination.”
#Socialites, what do you make of these serious allegations? Sound off in the comments below!
