Sexual-Harassment Suit Filed Against Will Smith and Treyball Studio Management Company

Sexual-harassment and retaliation claims involving high-profile figures often raise complex legal issues, particularly when they intersect with employment law and alleged abuse of power. The following case, recently filed in California, highlights allegations of sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation, issues commonly addressed in civil sexual-assault litigation and discussed throughout our civil law and civil suit resources.

 

Bad Boys’ star Will Smith, along with his touring management company, Treyball Studio Management, Inc., are being sued for sexual harassment by a well-known violinist. According to sexual-assault lawyers in Orange County, the lawsuit alleges additional actions beyond the sexual-harassment claim, including wrongful termination and retaliation.

On Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, violinist Brian King Joseph filed his complaint against Will Smith and Smith’s management company in Los Angeles County at the Superior Court of California.

 

The complaint alleges that the 57-year-old celebrity deliberately attempted to prime and groom Joseph for sexual exploitation, and that the conduct involved a “traumatic series of events” for which Joseph is seeking damages. A sexual-harassment lawyer for Smith has categorically denied all allegations.

Sexual-assault lawyers in Orange County have learned that the alleged incident took place in March 2025, while Washington, DC native Brian King Joseph was touring with Smith. Joseph’s public career began in 2018, when he placed as a top-three finalist on Season 13 of America’s Got Talent. He joined Smith’s “Based on a True Story” global tour in December 2024.

A sexual-harassment lawyer has learned that the complaint details an alleged incident in Las Vegas, where Joseph stated that he found evidence that someone had entered his hotel room without permission, although no signs of forced entry were evident. Joseph cited evidence of a “sexual-violence threat,” including handwritten correspondence with the words, “Brian, I’ll be back… just us,” written inside a drawn heart and bearing the signature “Stone F.”

 

Joseph also alleges that he discovered an eclectic pile of items in his room that did not belong to him, including a red backpack, a beer bottle, an earring, wipes, an HIV medication bottle bearing another person’s name, and discharge paperwork from a hospital belonging to someone Joseph did not know. According to the complaint, Joseph stated that he feared a stranger would soon return to his room with the intention of engaging in sexual acts.

According to the complaint, Joseph was replaced by another violinist after reporting the incident to Smith’s management team, a hotel staff member, and a local non-emergency police line. The lawsuit states that a Treyball Studio Management, Inc. representative contacted Joseph several days later and informed him that he would no longer be touring with Smith. Joseph claimed that he was also shamed and accused of fabricating the incident.

 

Joseph’s complaint alleges that his damages include reputational harm, economic loss, severe emotional distress, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”) resulting from being fired from the tour. Joseph further claimed that his termination was retaliation for reporting the alleged incident, an issue frequently addressed in workplace-related sexual-harassment cases discussed in our FAQs.

 

According to sexual-harassment attorneys in Orange County, Smith’s lawyer, Allen B. Grodsky, has referred to Joseph’s allegations as reckless, baseless, and false, stating that the truth will be “brought to light” when the claims are formally addressed. Joseph’s sexual-harassment lawyer, Jonathan J. Delshad, accused Smith of deliberately setting Joseph up for sexual exploitation and asserted that the items found in Joseph’s hotel room, along with statements allegedly made to him by Smith, indicate that the incident was not isolated. Rather, Delshad alleges they demonstrate a pattern of predatory behavior.

 

Sexual-assault lawyers in Orange County following the case have learned that a trial date has not yet been set. Individuals seeking legal guidance related to sexual-harassment or retaliation claims may find additional information on our About Me page or can reach out directly through our Contact Us page.