A California judge has granted a partial legal victory to actor Will Smith, as the judge dismissed significant parts of a sexual harassment lawsuit brought against him by violinist Brian King Joseph.
Will Smith wins partial legal victory as court dismisses parts of sexual harassment lawsuit Will Smith appears on the red carpet during the Oscars arrivals at the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, on March 27, 2022.
Will Smith has secured a partial legal victory after a California judge struck down significant parts of a sexual harassment lawsuit brought against the actor by violinist Brian King Joseph. The case against actor Will, 57, emerged in December when Brian filed a complaint in the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles against the star and Treyball Studios Management, Inc, alleging Will had engaged in conduct intended to groom Brian during preparations for the actor's Based on a True Story: 2025 tour.
The legal dispute added to renewed public scrutiny surrounding Will following years of headlines tied to the fallout from his 2022 on-stage Oscars assault of comic Chris Rock, as well as ongoing attention around his attempts to rebuild his public image through music, film projects and public appearances. According to new court documents obtained by People, a judge has now ruled Will's demurrer to several counts in the complaint should be granted.
The ruling stated the allegations connected to Brian's claims regarding access to his Las Vegas hotel room were not "based on sexual misconduct by Defendant Smith". The judge also found Brian's belief "Defendant Will Smith was involved in the decision to terminate is conclusory and unsupported by any of the factual allegations" outlined in the complaint. Under California law, a demurrer tests whether a complaint is legally sufficient. Brian has now been granted 30 days to amend the filing.
Brian's original complaint alleged Will had "deliberately groomed and primed" him for "further sexual exploitation" after inviting him to participate in the global tour in November 2024. The filing described what Brian called a "traumatic series of events" during March 2025 while travelling on tour. He alleged he discovered evidence that someone had entered his Las Vegas hotel room without forced entry.
According to the complaint, items allegedly discovered inside the room included a handwritten note reading: "Brian, I'll be back... just us," alongside a heart symbol signed "Stone F". The complaint also referenced "wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with another individual's name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to a person unbeknownst to" Brian.
Brian further alleged he "feared that an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts" with him. Shortly before filing the lawsuit, Brian discussed the matter in a video shared to Instagram in December.
He said: "I can't get too into the details of exactly what that was because it's already a legal issue right now, but the reason why I'm speaking out about this is because getting fired or getting blamed or shamed or threatened or anything like that simply for reporting sexual misconduct or safety threats at work is not okay.
" After the lawsuit was filed, Will's lawyer Allen B Grodsky strongly denied the accusations in a statement. Mr Allen said: "Mr. Joseph's 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. "
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