Will Smith wins legal battle as sexual harassment lawsuit thrown out by judge

Will Smith has won a major legal victory after a California judge dismissed the sexual harassment and wrongful termination lawsuit brought against him by violinist Brian King Joseph.

The actor had been accused by the America's Got Talent finalist of misconduct during the first leg of Mr Smith's Based on a True Story tour in 2025.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Shultz ruled on Monday that Mr Joseph's allegations did not meet the legal threshold for workplace harassment under California law.

The court found the claims "fail to adequately allege conduct that is sufficiently severe or pervasive" to amount to sexual misconduct.

Mr Smith's legal team had previously described the accusations as "false, baseless, and reckless", characterising the lawsuit as an attempted extortion.

The violinist alleged that an unknown individual entered his Las Vegas hotel room while he was away during the tour.

According to court documents, he later discovered several unfamiliar items inside the room, including wipes, beer, and HIV medication.

A handwritten note was also allegedly left behind, reading: "Brian, I'll be back… just us" and signed by someone identifying themselves as "Stone F."

Mr Joseph claimed the incident left him fearful that a stranger intended to return to his room for sexual purposes.

He subsequently reported the matter to hotel security and tour management.

However, the judge highlighted significant gaps in the case, noting Mr Joseph had admitted leaving his bag containing his hotel room key in a van accessible to multiple crew members for several hours.

The ruling stated this weakened the claim that only Mr Smith or members of his team could have entered the room.

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"The allegations do not support a severe and pervasive concerted pattern of harassment sufficient to create an abusive working environment," the court order stated.

The decision also undermined the musician's wrongful termination claim, with the court finding he had failed to show his dismissal was directly linked to reporting the alleged incident.

Mr Joseph has now been granted 30 days to amend and refile the complaint with additional evidence addressing the court's concerns.

If he fails to do so, the dismissal could become permanent.

The self-taught electric violinist rose to fame after finishing third on America's Got Talent in 2018 behind magician Shin Lim and Austrian acrobatic troupe Zurcaroh.

Mr Smith's attorney, Allen B Grodsky, had previously argued Mr Joseph admitted he did not know the identity of "Stone F", meaning there was no evidence directly linking the note to the actor.

This is not the first time The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star has found himself at the forefront of the news cycle.

The actor remains under a 10-year ban from Academy events following the 2022 Chris Rock slapping incident, which was also addressed in his 2025 album.

His wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, was also sued recently for $3 million (£2.22 million) by former associate Bilaal Salaam over allegations of verbal threats and a smear campaign.