Trending badgeTrendingPosted 4 hours agoWill Smith Has Been Sued For Alleged Sexual Harassment By Musician Brian King Joseph. Here Are All The Details Of The Complaint.
Here's everything you need to know.by Leyla MohammedBuzzFeed StaffFacebookPinterestLink This post discusses allegations of sexual harassment. An attorney for Will Smith has addressed a recent lawsuit filed by musician Brian King Joseph, accusing the actor and his company of alleged sexual harassment. Robyn Beck / Getty Images On Dec. 30, Joseph - a professional violinist who toured with Smith in 2025 - purportedly filed a complaint at the Superior Court of California against Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management, alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation. Nbc / Getty Images The filing, which has been widely reported by outlets like People, NBC News, Variety, and ABC News, purportedly claims that Smith "was deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation" after inviting the violinist on tour. It reportedly goes on to detail an alleged "traumatic series of events" that took place amid Smith's tour. Fort Worth Star-telegram / Getty Images According to NBC, the suit states that Joseph began performing with Smith in December 2024, before accompanying him on tour the following year. The complaint purportedly states that they began spending time alone together, and Smith allegedly told Joseph that they had a "special connection." Frazer Harrison / Getty Images Elsewhere in the filing, Joseph recounted allegedly discovering that someone had entered his hotel room in Las Vegas with no signs of forced entry. He allegedly found a handwritten note that read, "Brian, I'll be back...just us," alongside a heart, signed, "Stone F," as well as "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 someone unbeknownst to him. Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images Per the complaint, Joseph alleged that he feared "an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts" with him. Joseph purportedly reported the incident to hotel staff, a local police line, and Smith's management team. According to the filing, a member of the tour management team later "shamed" Joseph and told him that he was being fired. Axelle / Getty Images The complaint reportedly states that Joseph suffered "severe emotional distress, economic loss, reputational harm, and other damages" following the incident, as well as "PTSD and other mental illness as a result of the termination." An attorney for Smith, Allen B. Grodsky, has since vehemently denied the allegations in a statement shared with People. (BuzzFeed has reached out directly to Grodsky for comment). "Mr. Joseph's allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless," Grodsky said. "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." Andreas Rentz / Getty Images We'll keep you posted as this story unfolds. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.