American actor and singer Will Smith has been sued by the violinist who worked on his final tour, accusing him of sexual harassment, wrongful dismissal and retaliation, reports Variety magazine on Friday (02/01/2026). He denied allegations.
In the lawsuit filed yesterday, accessed by media outlets including Variety and the Fox network, musician Brian King names Joseph Smith and Treyball Studios management as defendants. The violinist directly accuses the actor of “predatory behavior” and “deliberately preparing Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation” during the tour he took part in last spring, titled “Based on a True Story: 2025,” according to both media outlets.
The lawsuit alleges that Smith, who has been the subject of other controversies, hired Joseph to perform at a show in San Diego in November 2024 and was subsequently invited to join his 2025 tour and play on his next album. As their relationship grew closer, Smith told Joseph, “You and I have such a special connection that I have with no one else,” among other similar expressions, the lawsuit says.
Suspicious break-in into your room
In her lawsuit, she claims that her purse, which contained the key to her hotel room, was missing for several hours before management found and returned it to her, and that her members were the “only ones who had access to (her) room,” according to Variety. When Joseph returned later that evening, he found that someone had broken into the room and left several belongings behind, including wet wipes, a bottle of HIV medication with someone else’s name on it, and a note that said, “Brian, I’ll be back no later than 5:30 p.m., just us (a drawn heart), Stone F.”
The violinist interpreted the message as a warning that soon “a stranger would return to his room to have sexual relations with him.” The musician informed hotel security and Smith’s representatives and reported the incident to police. A few days later, a member of the management team “humiliated” him over the incident and told him he would be fired, suggesting that Joseph had made the whole thing up.
Will Smith denies the allegations
The lawsuit alleges that Joseph suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and financial loss as a result of his firing, also alleges that he suffered retaliation, wrongful termination and sexual harassment, and asks that a jury award compensatory damages.
“Mr. Joseph’s allegations against my client are false, baseless and reckless,” Smith’s attorney, Allen B. Grodsky, told People magazine. In a statement sent to the medium, he added: “We categorically reject them and will use all available legal means to resolve these allegations and ensure that the truth is clarified.”
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