Will Smith is being sued by a violinist who claims he fired her for reporting a sexual assault while on tour.
Brian King Joseph is suing Smith and his company, Trayball Studio Management, for wrongful termination following an incident at the rapper’s Based on a True Story 2025 tour in Las Vegas in March. According to a civil lawsuit filed in a Los Angeles court on December 31, the musician claims that when he returned to a hotel room booked by Smith’s company, he found someone had left behind sexual messages, wipes, beer bottles, HIV medication with someone else’s name on it, and someone else’s hospital discharge papers.
Joseph said the note read, “Brian, I’ll be back by 5:30 at the latest, just us (I’m excited)” and was signed “Stone F.”
Joseph said he reported the situation to hotel security and the tour manager, but they accused him of lying and blamed him for the incident. He was fired a few days later, but said management told him the tour was “going in a different direction.” He says another violinist was soon hired to replace him, which he claims is proof that he was not fired for “pretext” reasons.
The violinist’s lawsuit also alleges that Smith has been “preparing and priming him for further sexual exploitation” since meeting in November 2024, as the two “began spending more time alone” in the months leading up to the tour. Joseph said Smith once commented, “You and I have a special connection that no one else has.” He also mentioned an incident in which a tour manager claimed to have suspiciously lost a bag containing a room key.
“The chain of events” and “the circumstances of the hotel break-in all indicate a pattern of predatory behavior rather than an isolated incident,” Joseph contends.
USA TODAY has reached out to Smith’s representatives for comment.
Joseph is suing for retaliation, wrongful termination, intimidation and sexual harassment, and seeks compensation for personal and economic damages. The musician’s lawsuit alleges that he made a significant financial investment in preparation for the tour, which lasted from July to early September. He also said he now suffers from significant physiological damage and PTSD as a result of the incident and shooting.
This story has been updated to add new information.
