Nationwide — Will Smith is facing a sexual harassment and wrongful termination lawsuit from violinist Brian King Joseph, a former America’s Got Talent finalist. Joseph claims Smith’s tour team fired him after he reported a troubling hotel incident during the concert tour.
Joseph, 32, rose to fame as a top-three finalist on America’s Got Talent in 2018. He performed on Smith’s Based on a True Story: 2025 tour after previously playing for the actor at his home. Joseph says they grew close during their work together, with Smith telling him, “You and I have such a special connection that I don’t share with anyone else.”
According to the Daily Mail, the lawsuit says problems began in Las Vegas last March when Joseph returned to his hotel room and discovered it had been entered by someone unknown. Left behind was a handwritten note signed “Stone F” with a heart, along with a beer bottle, wipes, a red backpack, HIV medication with another person’s name, and hospital paperwork.
Fearing someone would return to engage in sexual acts, Joseph reported the incident to hotel security, a non-emergency police line, and Smith’s management. He alleges tour management shamed him and eventually fired him, which he says caused emotional distress, PTSD, and financial loss.
Joseph’s lawsuit also claims Smith groomed him for sexual exploitation, pointing to private time together and statements about their “special connection.” Smith’s attorney denied all allegations and called the claims “false, baseless, and reckless.”
Joseph filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court and is seeking a jury trial. It brings Smith back into the spotlight over allegations of harassment, retaliation, and professional misconduct.