LOS ANGELES, California — Actor and musician Will Smith is facing a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by violinist Brian King Joseph. People reported he is accusing Smith and his management company of sexual harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination related to events during Smith’s 2025 “Based on a True Story” tour.
The complaint was filed Tuesday, and names Treyball Studios Management Inc. alongside Smith as defendants, according to the magazine.
Joseph, a professional violinist who previously rose to fame as a top three finalist on “America’s Got Talent,” said he was initially hired to perform with Smith in late 2024 and later invited to join the world tour promoting the artist’s album before accusations of misconduct surfaced, People said.
According to Mint, the lawsuit centers on an incident in March 2025 during a tour stop in Las Vegas, where Joseph alleges his hotel room, arranged by Smith’s team, was entered without his consent and left with items he did not recognize, including medication bearing another name, personal effects and a handwritten note he interpreted as suggestive.
According to TheWrap, Joseph immediately reported the incident to hotel security, local police and members of the tour’s management, but said he was later accused by someone on the tour team of fabricating the situation and was soon informed he would no longer be needed on the tour.
The suit also accuses that Smith told Joseph they had a personal connection, and that his termination was retaliatory after raising concerns about the hotel room incident, according to NBC Chicago.
Representatives for Smith and Treyball Studios Management have declined to comment on the lawsuit, NBC Chicago said. As of now, Smith has not publicly addressed the accusations.
Read the original article on cleveland.com.