Actor Will Smith is embroiled in a sexual harassment controversy following a lawsuit filed on December 30 in Los Angeles. The legal action comes from a former finalist of “America’s Got Talent” in 2018.
Documents accessed by FOX News Digital disclose accusations against Smith, suggesting he allegedly groomed Brian King Joseph, a distinguished violinist. Joseph was recruited for Smith’s “Based on a True Story: 2025 Tour.”
The allegations assert that Smith engaged in “deliberately grooming and preparing Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation.”
According to claims, Smith supposedly told Joseph, “You and I have such a special connection that I don’t have with anyone else.”
The court papers indicate Smith initially invited Joseph to contribute to several tracks on his forthcoming album, which eventually led to Joseph joining the tour.
During a March concert in Las Vegas, Joseph reported an incident where someone allegedly entered his hotel room without his consent. He further noted that tour managers purportedly lost track of his hotel key and travel bag during this time.
“No other individuals besides … the crew and hotel staff would have had access,” court documents revealed.
Joseph alleged that inside his hotel room, he found HIV medication with another person’s name, hospital discharge papers, wipes, a red backpack, and other items that did not belong to him.
The lawsuit stated that Joseph “feared that an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts with Plaintiff.”
Joseph filed a report with hotel management and police, FOX 8 reports.
When Joseph contacted a member of Smith’s management team, he was accused of making the allegations up and terminated.
“Rather than being protected against further assault, and for attempting to understanding Plaintiff’s complaint, Plaintiff was shamed by Defendant and told that he was being terminated,” court documents stated.
Smith’s attorney, Allen B. Grodsky, told DailyMail that the “allegations concerning my client are false, baseless, and reckless.”
“They are categorically denied, and we will use all legal means available to address these claims and to ensure that the truth is brought to light.”
Joseph has requested a grand jury. The lawsuit also named Treyball Studios Management as a defendant.
[Feature Photo: Actor Will Smith poses during a photo shoot to promote his latest film, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die”, in Mexico City, Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]
