Will Smith Hit With Lawsuit From Tour Violinist Alleging Harassment and Retaliation

Will Smith is facing a new lawsuit filed by violinist Brian King Joseph, who performed on Smith’s “Based on a True Story: 2025” tour and now alleges he was subjected to misconduct and later pushed off the tour after reporting a disturbing incident. The complaint, filed Dec. 30, 2025 in California Superior Court, names Smith and his touring entity Treyball Studios Management, Inc., and includes claims such as sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation, according to multiple reports.

In the lawsuit, Joseph describes what he calls a traumatic situation during a March 2025 tour stop in Las Vegas, alleging his hotel room was unlawfully accessed and that items were left behind that he interpreted as threatening and sexual in nature. Reporting on the complaint says Joseph believed the person responsible could have been linked to the tour because of the level of access involved, and that he reported the matter to hotel security and sought help from tour representatives.

Joseph claims that after he raised concerns, he was shamed by tour management, accused of fabricating the story, and ultimately removed from the tour, describing emotional and financial harm, including symptoms consistent with PTSD.

Smith’s legal team has forcefully rejected the allegations. In statements reported by outlets including People and The Guardian, Smith’s attorney called the claims false and described them as “baseless” and “reckless,” saying they intend to fight the case and “expose the truth” through legal channels.

As with any civil complaint, these are allegations that must be tested in court, and no court has ruled on the merits at this stage. The next steps will likely include formal responses from the defense, potential motions to narrow or dismiss claims, and any discovery that sheds light on what happened on the tour and how tour leadership handled Joseph’s report.