Violinist Sues Will Smith, Tour Company for Alleged Retaliation After Reporting Vegas Hotel Room Intrusion

A professional violinist who toured with Will Smith has filed a civil lawsuit alleging he was fired in retaliation for reporting what he described as a frightening and sexually suggestive intrusion into his hotel room during the early leg of Smith’s 2025 tour.

In a complaint filed Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Brian King Joseph alleges that he was terminated from Smith’s “Based on a True Story” tour after raising safety concerns about an incident that occurred while the tour was in Las Vegas in March.

The lawsuit, obtained by TheWrap, names Smith and his management company, Treyball Studios Management Inc., as defendants and seeks damages for retaliation, wrongful termination, and alleged violations of California civil-rights and employment laws.

According to the complaint, Joseph returned to his hotel room late one night to find evidence that someone had entered the room without his knowledge. He alleges there were no signs of forced entry and that hotel security told him the only people with access to the room were hotel staff and members of the tour’s management team, which had booked and controlled room assignments.

Joseph says he discovered a handwritten note addressed to him by name that referenced a return time and included a heart symbol, along with personal items he says did not belong to him. The items allegedly included wipes, an earring, medical paperwork, and a bottle of prescription medication bearing another person’s name.

The complaint does not identify who entered the room. Instead, Joseph alleges that whoever did so had authorized access and that the incident reasonably caused him to fear that the person intended to return to the room for sexual contact or assault.

Joseph, who appeared as a contenstant on Season 13 of “America’s Got Talent,” says he immediately reported the incident to hotel security, tour management, and local authorities. He alleges he filed written reports and requested only basic safety measures, not compensation or special treatment.

Within days, Joseph claims, tour management accused him of fabricating the incident and terminated his employment. He alleges he was told the tour was “moving in a different direction,” but that another violinist was hired to fill the role.

The lawsuit alleges the termination was retaliation for reporting what Joseph believed was a workplace safety and sexual-harassment issue. It also claims Smith made personal statements to Joseph earlier in their working relationship that Joseph interpreted as unusually intimate, though the complaint stops short of alleging Smith entered the room.

Joseph alleges that Smith was involved in the decision to fire him and that the response to his complaint violated state protections for employee whistleblowers. The lawsuit includes claims under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, the state whistleblower statute, and civil-rights laws that prohibit retaliation and intimidation based on sex or perceived sexual orientation.

A lawyer for Smith did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

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