A violinist accused Will Smith of retaliation after he mentioned he was fired for reporting sexual harassment whereas on tour with the actor and rapper, in response to a lawsuit filed earlier this week.
The swimsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court docket, is linked to what the criticism describes as a “resort intrusion” in Las Vegas final March that the swimsuit says Brian King Joseph instantly reported to resort safety, police and the artist’s representatives.
Days later, in response to the criticism, a consultant for Smith accused Joseph of mendacity and fired him.
A administration firm related to Smith, 57, can be named as a defendant within the swimsuit. The criticism doesn’t specify damages.
Representatives for Smith declined to remark.
Based on the swimsuit, Joseph started performing with Smith in December 2024 and joined the artist’s tour for his most up-to-date album, “Primarily based on a True Story,” final yr. They started spending time alone collectively, the criticism states, and Smith allegedly informed Joseph that they’d a “particular connection” that the artist had with nobody else.
On or round March 20, whereas in Las Vegas for a efficiency, Joseph mentioned he returned to his resort room round 11 p.m. to search out that somebody appeared to have unlawfully entered whereas he was gone, the criticism states. Based on resort safety, there have been no indicators of pressured entry and solely individuals who had been a part of Smith’s administration group had entry to the room whereas he was gone, the swimsuit says.
Among the many objects Joseph mentioned he discovered had been wipes, a beer bottle, an earring, a purple backpack, HIV remedy with one other particular person’s title, hospital discharge paperwork for somebody Joseph didn’t know and a be aware that mentioned: “Brian, I’ll be again no later [sic] 5:30, simply us (drawn coronary heart), Stone F,” the criticism states.
“Plaintiff feared that an unknown particular person would quickly return to his room to have interaction in sexual acts with Plaintiff,” the criticism states.
After Joseph reported the obvious intrusion to resort safety, Smith’s representatives and police, the criticism alleges, a consultant for Smith blamed him for the incident and mentioned he was being terminated.
The swimsuit quotes the consultant allegedly saying, partially, “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?”
There was no effort to confirm Joseph’s security considerations, the swimsuit alleges, and after he was fired, one other violinist was employed, though the criticism says Joseph was informed the tour was “shifting in a distinct course.”
