Will Smith smiled for the cameras at the London premiere of his new show, Pole to Pole, on Monday. This was his first public appearance since he was accused of sexual harassment last week.
The 57-year-old actor, who claims he has done nothing wrong, is also facing a lawsuit from Brian King Joseph, a violinist who performed on his 2025 tour. Joseph is suing him for wrongful termination.
Despite facing legal issues, Smith looked relaxed and happy as he posed for photos on the yellow carpet, wearing a bright red matching outfit.
He was dressed in a shirt and trousers, with a sports jacket over the top, and a pair of brown dress shoes that stood out in contrast.
Pole to Pole is a new National Geographic series that documents one person’s journey across all seven continents, and it took five years to film.
Joseph, the man accusing Smith, gained recognition as a finalist on America’s Got Talent in 2018. He later performed at Smith’s concerts in 2024 after first playing a private performance at Smith’s home, according to court filings obtained by the Daily Mail.
Joseph stated that last March, while in Las Vegas for a performance, he returned to his hotel room around 11 p.m. to find it had been broken into. An unidentified person had left a handwritten note saying, ‘Brian, I’ll be back no later than 5:30, just us,’ followed by a heart and the signature ‘Stone F.’
The plaintiff claimed the note came with several unusual items: cleaning wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication prescribed to someone else, an earring, and hospital papers that didn’t belong to him.
Joseph told authorities and his company’s management that he feared someone might sexually assault him in his hotel room, and that’s why he reported the incident to hotel security and the police’s non-emergency line.
He claims that after this, the tour management publicly humiliated him, leading to his dismissal from the concerts and replacement by someone else. This, he says, caused him significant emotional and financial hardship, damaged his reputation, and resulted in PTSD and other mental health issues.
In his legal complaint, he claimed the evidence indicates Smith was intentionally manipulating Mr. Joseph to make him vulnerable to future sexual abuse.
Allen B. Grodsky, Smith’s lawyer, stated to Daily Mail that the claims made by Mr. Joseph are untrue, without foundation, and irresponsible.
We strongly deny these claims and will pursue every legal option to defend ourselves and reveal the truth.
In November 2024, Joseph received an invitation to play music for Smith at his home. During that visit, Smith asked Joseph to perform at a concert in San Diego the following December, and also to join him on the ‘Based on a True Story’ tour in 2025.
Joseph and Smith reportedly grew close while working together, including Joseph contributing to Smith’s recent album, ‘Based on a True Story,’ and spending extra time together privately.
Smith reportedly told Joseph that they shared a unique and private bond, one he didn’t have with anyone else.
According to Joseph, things changed on March 20th while the tour was starting in Las Vegas.
The band and crew received a spreadsheet with their hotel room numbers and confirmation codes, ensuring only those involved with the tour and hotel staff could access the plaintiff’s room, according to the lawsuit.
Joseph claims he returned to his hotel room around 11 p.m. on March 20, 2025, and found someone had been inside without permission. However, the hotel’s security team found no evidence of a break-in.
Joseph said that when he walked into the room, he saw a note addressed to Brian. It read: ‘I’ll be back by 5:30, just us (with a heart), Stone F.’
The lawsuit states that among the items left behind were cleaning wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication prescribed to someone else, a single earring, and hospital discharge papers for an unidentified person.
According to court documents, Joseph stated he was afraid someone would come back to his room and sexually assault him.
He immediately informed hotel security and Smith’s team, took pictures of the evidence, and asked to be moved to a different room. He also reported the incident to the police via their non-emergency line, according to his account.
Joseph also stated he emphasized that everyone’s safety was his only priority, and he didn’t want any preferential treatment or to be paid for his involvement.
According to his legal complaint, a tour manager later publicly criticized him, even going so far as to accuse him of being responsible for what happened on March 20, 2025.
According to court records, a tour manager told Joseph that people were saying his account of the incident was false – that nothing had happened and he’d fabricated the story. The manager then asked Joseph why he would lie and make it all up.
Joseph claims he was fired because he reported a problem that happened at the hotel. He says this firing was the final result of a complicated situation that caused him significant emotional distress, financial hardship, damage to his reputation, and other losses.
He claims being fired caused significant stress, leading to serious health problems and, ultimately, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues.
Joseph is suing Smith in Los Angeles County Superior Court and has requested a jury to decide the case.
Read More
- Clash Royale Best Boss Bandit Champion decks
- Vampire’s Fall 2 redeem codes and how to use them (June 2025)
- Mobile Legends January 2026 Leaks: Upcoming new skins, heroes, events and more
- World Eternal Online promo codes and how to use them (September 2025)
- How to find the Roaming Oak Tree in Heartopia
- Clash Royale Season 79 “Fire and Ice” January 2026 Update and Balance Changes
- Best Arena 9 Decks in Clast Royale
- Clash Royale Furnace Evolution best decks guide
- Best Hero Card Decks in Clash Royale
- FC Mobile 26: EA opens voting for its official Team of the Year (TOTY)
2026-01-12 23:54