Will Smith accused of sexual harassment by violinist Brian King Joseph

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Will Smith was accused of sexual harassment by Brian King Joseph in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles simply earlier than the brand new yr, in accordance with paperwork obtained by Fox Information Digital.

Joseph, an expert violinist, alleges Smith was "intentionally grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for additional sexual exploitation" within the criticism in opposition to the Academy Award-winning actor and associates together with his Treyball Studios Administration, Inc.

After his first efficiency with Smith in December 2024, the "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" singer allegedly employed Joseph to hitch his "Primarily based on a True Story: 2025 Tour."

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Will Smith was accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed Dec. 30. (Matt Winkelmeyer)

Joseph claimed their "relationship grew even nearer" after Smith supplied him an opportunity to play on a number of tracks of the rapper's upcoming album.

"Smith and Plaintiff started spending extra time alone, with Smith even telling Plaintiff that ‘You and I've such a particular connection, that I don’t have with anybody else,’ and different comparable expressions indicating his closeness to Plaintiff," paperwork state.

Joseph allegedly joined the primary leg of the tour in March 2025 in Las Vegas , the place he was supplied a lodge room booked by Smith and his staff. He claimed "no different people apart from … the crew and lodge employees would have had entry" to his private room.

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The violinist, who competed on "America's Got Talent" in 2018, claimed to put his room key in his bag, which was left in a van liable for transporting the solid and crew round. After a rehearsal on the venue, administration allegedly spent hours retrieving the bag.

Brian King Joseph was a finalist on "America's Bought Expertise" in 2018. (Trae Patton)

When Joseph returned to his lodge room later that night, he claimed to have "found proof suggesting that an unknown particular person had unlawfully entered the room." Joseph subsequently known as lodge safety.

"The proof included a handwritten word addressed to Plaintiff by identify, which learn ‘Brian, I’ll be again no later [sic] 5:30, simply us (drawn coronary heart), Stone F,’" the lawsuit states. "Among the many remaining belongings had been wipes, a beer bottle, a crimson backpack, a bottle of HIV treatment with one other particular person’s identify, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to an individual unbeknownst to Plaintiff."

Joseph feared that an unknown particular person would return to his room to interact in sexual acts, paperwork mentioned, and he "instantly notified lodge safety and representatives for Defendant, obtained picture documentation, requested a room change, and known as the native non-emergency police line (311) to report the incident."

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Days later, Joseph claims, Smith's staff started "blaming" him for the incident.

"Fairly than being protected in opposition to additional assault, and for making an attempt to understanding Plaintiff’s criticism, Plaintiff was shamed by Defendant and advised that he was being terminated," the criticism said.

Will Smith initially discovered fame as a rapper earlier than starring in "The Recent Prince of Bel Air" within the '90s. (Isa Foltin/WireImage)

"When Plaintiff requested … additional reasoning, Tim Miller, performing on behalf of Defendants, redirected the blame for the termination onto Plaintiff, replying, ‘I don’t know, you inform me, as a result of everyone seems to be telling me that what occurred to you is a lie, nothing occurred, and also you made the entire thing up. So, inform me, why did you lie and make this up?’"

Joseph, on the request of Miller, compiled a timeline "to elucidate the traumatic collection of occasions that occurred that night."

"Nevertheless, following Plaintiff's report and termination, Defendant employed one other violinist to imagine the identical place on the tour," paperwork said. "This hiring strongly instructed that Defendant's said purpose for the termination was pretextual."

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"The details strongly counsel that Defendant Willard Carroll Smith II was intentionally grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for additional sexual exploitation. The sequence of occasions, Smith’s prior statements to Plaintiff, and the circumstances of the lodge intrusion all level to a sample of predatory habits somewhat than an remoted incident," the lawsuit states.

Brian King Joseph allegedly suffered "extreme emotional misery" after the incident. (Max Faulkner)

"Defendant's actions induced Plaintiff extreme emotional misery, financial loss, reputational hurt, and different damages. Plaintiff was additionally harmed on account of the stress of shedding his job his well being deteriorated inflicting main physiological harm. Plaintiff suffered from PTSD and different psychological sickness on account of the termination."

Representatives for Smith didn't instantly reply to Fox Information Digital's request for remark.

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Joseph filed his criticism after a $3 million lawsuit was filed in opposition to Jada Pinkett Smith by a former affiliate, Bilaal Salaam.

Salaam claimed Jada approached him with bodily threats of violence and demanded he signal a nondisclosure settlement whereas at a non-public gathering at a movie show in Calabasas for her husband's birthday in September 2021.