An electric violinist who was part of Will Smith’s Based on a True Story tour last year has brought a lawsuit accusing the star of sexual harassment and retaliation.
Brian King Joseph, a violinist who came in third place on season 13 of America’s Got Talent in 2018, claims in a Tuesday (Dec. 30) civil complaint that he was fired from Smith’s international trek after reporting that someone had broken into his hotel room and left sexually suggestive materials.
“Defendant’s actions caused plaintiff severe emotional distress, economic loss, reputational harm and other damages,” reads the lawsuit. “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.”
Joseph met Smith in November 2024 and was later invited to join the actor and rapper on tour supporting his comeback album, Based on a True Story. The violinist says he grew close to Smith and spent time alone with the star, who allegedly told him, “You and I have such a special connection that I don’t have with anyone else.”
Things supposedly got dicey this past March, when Smith’s tour crew was in Las Vegas for a show at the House of Blues before their official summer kickoff. Joseph claims he returned to his hotel room one night to find various odd items, including a bottle of HIV medication, an earring and a note reading, “Brian, I’ll be back.”
According to the complaint, Joseph feared that he was about to be the victim of sexual assault. While Joseph does not overtly accuse Smith of orchestrating this alleged break-in, he connects the incident to their prior relationship.
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“The facts strongly suggest that defendant Willard Carroll Smith II was deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation,” reads the lawsuit. “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 violinist claims he reported this incident to Smith’s management, as well as hotel security and local police. Joseph was fired four days later, with a member of Smith’s management team allegedly blaming him for fabricating the hotel break-in story.
Now, Joseph is suing for sexual harassment and retaliation. He’s seeking an unspecified amount of financial damages from both Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management.
An attorney for Smith, Allen Grodsky, told People on Thursday (Jan. 1) that Joseph’s allegations 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,” added Grodsky, as reported by People.
