Will Smith was recently seen sidestepping a question about a lawsuit accusing him of wrongful termination and retaliation.
The 57-year-old actor was spotted in London on Monday (Jan. 12) while reportedly filming his National Geographic series Pole to Pole With Will Smith.
In footage obtained by Backgrid and shared by TMZ, Smith was asked about the lawsuit filed by violinist Brian King Joseph. The video shows Smith laughing briefly before getting into a waiting vehicle as his security team blocked the camera.
Joseph alleges in the lawsuit that he was fired from Smith’s Based on a True Story Tour after reporting an alleged sexual harassment incident that he says took place during a Las Vegas tour stop in November 2024.
According to the complaint, reviewed by Variety, Joseph claims his bag — which contained his hotel room key — went missing for several hours before hotel staff later recovered and returned it. He says he subsequently realized that his Las Vegas hotel room had been “unlawfully” entered.
Joseph states that multiple items were left behind in the room, including a handwritten note reading, “Brian, I’ll be back… just us,” along with a drawn heart and the signature “Stone F.” He also claims to have found wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication bearing another person’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to someone he did not know.
The violinist says these findings led him to believe “an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him, prompting him to contact hotel staff, a non-emergency police line, and Smith’s representatives.
The lawsuit further claims that days later, a member of Smith’s tour management team allegedly “shamed” him before informing him that he was being let go.
Joseph alleges the incident caused him “severe emotional distress, economic loss, reputational harm, and other damages,” and that his termination led to post-traumatic stress disorder and additional financial setbacks.
In a statement to TMZ, Smith’s attorney, Allen B. Grodsky, dismissed the allegations as “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,” he added.
