Violinist Alleges Will Smith Harassment Before Filing Lawsuit
Professional violinist Brian King Joseph appeared to hint at the alleged harassment he claimed he experienced at the hands of Will Smith days before submitting a lawsuit against the celebrated actor.
“Earlier this year, I was hired to perform on a significant, high-profile tour with someone who was incredibly well-known in the industry,” Joseph, 35, stated in a video shared via Instagram in December 2025. “So I was excited, you know, proud of myself for receiving the opportunity. Unfortunately, certain events transpired.”
He continued, “I can’t share the precise details of what occurred because it’s already a legal matter in progress, but the reason I’m speaking out about this is because being dismissed or blamed or shamed or threatened or anything like that simply for reporting instances of sexual misconduct or safety concerns at work is unacceptable.”
Joseph also addressed others who he believed might be “hesitant to speak out” about their own alleged experiences.
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“I understand, and if that’s you, I acknowledge you,” he said at the time. ”And that’s essentially it. Further updates will follow soon. Thank you for listening.”
Joseph filed his lawsuit against Smith, 57, in Los Angeles on December 30, 2025. According to documents obtained by Us Weekly, Joseph accuses Smith of “predatory actions” and “deliberately cultivating and preparing Mr. Joseph for additional sexual exploitation.” The alleged incidents occurred during Smith’s Based on a True Story: 2025 tour.
Joseph also claimed that he was invited to join the tour in November 2024. The tour commenced in Las Vegas in March 2025, and Joseph further alleged the harassment began in Sin City.
In the complaint, Joseph claimed he returned to his Las Vegas hotel room, which was reserved by Smith’s company, to discover that someone had “illegally” entered the room.
In the room, he purportedly found wipes, a beer bottle, a prescription for HIV medication with another individual’s name and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to a different person.
The musician also alleged that there was a note in the room that read, “Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F,” which he believed was a message indicating “an unidentified individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual activity.”
Joseph claims he reported what happened to hotel security as well as tour management, further alleging that management accused him of dishonesty. His employment on tour was subsequently terminated, he said, and management informed him they were “pursuing a different direction.”
Via the documents, Joseph also claimed Smith was “cultivating and preparing” him “for further sexual exploitation.” Us Weekly reached out to representatives for Smith and Joseph at the time for comment.
Based on a True Story was revealed as Smith’s first album in more than 20 years and featured previously released tracks including “You Can Make It,” “Work of Art” and “Tantrum.”
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“The concept of ‘Beautiful Scars’ is simply one of the things that truly resonated with me as a significant value to recognize that a difficulty, an adversity, a challenge, an obstacle is hard and painful in the moment but what you’re going through can evolve into the greatest thing that has ever happened,” Smith told radio host Enrique Santos during an iHeartRadio Live event on January 29, 2025. “What begins as an adversity can transform into a beautiful stepping stone.”
