Violinist Brian King Joseph filed suit against actor and rapper Will Smith alleging wrongful termination and retaliation after reporting sexual harassment.
Joseph, who competed on America’s Got Talent in 2018, toured with Smith in 2024 and 2025.
He claimed in the suit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court that Smith was “deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation” after he joined the Based on a True Story tour. He said he and Smith had spent time alone, with Smith allegedly telling Joseph that they shared a “special connection.”
The suit also mentioned a March “hotel intrusion” in Las Vegas. Joseph said he reported the intrusion to hotel security, police and Smith’s management.
The lawsuit alleges that someone had entered his hotel room without any signs of forced entry.
Joseph said he found “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” he didn’t know. The suit also claimed Joseph found a note that read, “Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us, Stone F.”
After seeing the note, “Plaintiff feared that an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts with Plaintiff,” noting that Joseph went on to report the incident immediately after. After reporting the incident, according to the complaint, a rep for Smith accused Joseph of lying and fired him.
Allen B. Grodsky, Smith’s attorney said in a statement to E! News, “Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless. 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.”
People magazine reported that Joseph published a video on Instagram on Dec. 25 that appears to have alluded to the lawsuit.
“Earlier this year I was hired to be a performer on a major, major tour with somebody who was huge in the industry. So I was excited, you know, proud of myself for getting the opportunity. Unfortunately some things happened,” Joseph said in the video.
“I can’t get too into the details of exactly what that was because it’s already a legal issue right now, but the reason why I’m speaking out about this is because getting fired or getting blamed or shamed or threatened or anything like that simply for reporting sexual misconduct or safety threats at work is not OK.
“I know that there’s a lot of other people out there who have been afraid to speak out, and I understand, and if that’s you, I see you,” he added. “And that’s pretty much it. More updates to come soon. Thanks for listening.”
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