Professional violinist Brian King Joseph has made headlines after filing a lawsuit against Will Smith and his company, Treyball Studios Management, Inc., alleging sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation. The complaint was filed on Tuesday, December 30, at the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, and outlines a series of disturbing claims connected to Smith’s recent global tour.
Brian King Joseph’s Background and Rise to Fame
Brian King Joseph is a classically trained violinist from Washington, D.C., who gained national recognition after competing on America’s Got Talent season 13 in 2018. Known for blending classical violin with electronic music, Joseph finished as a top-three finalist and quickly built a reputation as a modern, genre-crossing performer. His appearances on major stages and collaborations with high-profile artists helped position him as one of the most recognizable violinists to emerge from the show.
How Brian King Joseph Became Part of Will Smith’s Tour
According to the lawsuit, Joseph was invited in November 2024 to join Will Smith’s global concert tour, Based on a True Story: 2025. In December 2024, Joseph shared an Instagram video showing him performing onstage, confirming it was his first night touring with Smith. The complaint alleges that, from the outset, Smith engaged in behavior that Joseph describes as “grooming and priming” him for further sexual exploitation, though no physical contact was alleged at that stage.
Alleged Hotel Room Incident in Las Vegas
The core of the lawsuit centers on what Joseph describes as a “traumatic series of events” that occurred in March 2025 during the tour. According to the complaint, Joseph returned to his Las Vegas hotel room to find signs that someone had entered without forced entry. He claims to have discovered a handwritten note reading, “Brian, I’ll be back… just us,” accompanied by a drawn heart and signed “Stone F.”
The lawsuit further alleges that other items were left behind, including wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, an earring, hospital discharge paperwork belonging to an unknown individual, and a bottle of HIV medication with another person’s name. Joseph claims these items suggested what he described as a sexual threat of violence and caused him to fear that an unknown individual might return to his room to engage in sexual acts with him.
Termination From the Tour and Alleged Retaliation
After reporting the incident to hotel staff, a local non-emergency police line, and members of Smith’s management team, Joseph alleges that he was later shamed by a tour management representative. According to the complaint, he was then informed that his services were being terminated. The lawsuit claims that another violinist was hired shortly afterward to take over the same role on the tour.
Joseph argues that his termination was retaliatory and directly linked to his reporting of the hotel room incident. The complaint states that these actions caused him severe emotional distress, economic losses, and reputational harm.
Mental Health Impact and Damages Claimed
The lawsuit details the personal toll the incident allegedly took on Joseph. He claims to have suffered from PTSD and other mental health issues following his dismissal from the tour. The complaint seeks damages for emotional suffering, lost income, and long-term professional harm resulting from the alleged harassment and termination.
Will Smith’s Response and Related Legal Issues
As of now, representatives for Will Smith have not publicly commented on Joseph’s allegations, though PEOPLE magazine has confirmed it reached out for a response. The lawsuit comes amid other legal scrutiny involving Smith’s family. Earlier in December, a former associate filed a separate lawsuit against Jada Pinkett Smithwhich the couple has reportedly dismissed as baseless, according to an entertainment source quoted by PEOPLE.
Brian King Joseph
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