The talent and brand management venture launches days after Netflix renewed the series for Season 2.
The entertainment landscape is shifting, and two industry veterans are betting that the future belongs to talent who own more than just their performances. That bet starts with Charnele Brown, the actress behind Dr. Kimberly Reese Boyer in Netflix’s A Different World sequel series, who is now the founding client of a new joint venture between Jackson Agency and Perdue Inc. The announcement lands just days after the streaming giant gave the revival a second-season pickup.
Los Angeles, CA – October 15, 2026 – Charnele Brown is the inaugural client of the newly formed talent and brand management partnership between Jackson Agency and Perdue Inc., a move that formalizes a years-long professional relationship between the two firms’ founders.
The backstory here is one of mutual respect and shared history. Francis Perdue once served as Tiauna Jackson’s publicist, and her efforts were instrumental in landing Jackson a 2019 feature in The New York Times spotlighting Black talent agents in Hollywood. Their collaboration also opened doors to high-profile events, including red-carpet appearances. Now, that working relationship is being elevated into a full-fledged business venture.
The joint venture promises a comprehensive suite of services: career planning, brand endorsements, intellectual property development, speaking engagements, licensing, publicity, and strategic partnerships with entertainment and consumer brands. It’s designed for talent across film, television, and the business world.
Each firm contributes a distinct area of expertise. Jackson Agency, a full-service talent, literary, and sports agency founded in 2014 by Tiauna Jackson, focuses on representation and safeguarding clients’ name, image, likeness, and intellectual property. Perdue Inc., led by Francis Perdue, brings over 15 years of experience in entertainment publicity, corporate communications, media relations, celebrity and influencer partnerships, and brand development.
“We wanted to create something that would allow us to do more for our talent. It’s about offering more than representation. Our clients deserve people who believe in their careers, understand their goals, and are willing to help them build something that lasts. By coming together again, we can bring our experience and relationships to the table and create opportunities that may not have been available to them before.” — Francis Perdue, Founder and CEO, Perdue Inc.
“Representation should leave a client owning more than when they signed. Francis and I are building this venture around that idea: career, brand, and the rights underneath the work, protected together. Charnele is the right first client because she has built something audiences still claim as their own.” — Tiauna Jackson, Founder, Jackson Agency
Brown’s appeal is backed by numbers. A Different World premiered on Netflix on September 24, 2026, and immediately landed at No. 4 on the platform’s Global Top 10 English TV chart, pulling in 4.2 million views in its first four days. The show reached the Top 10 in 15 countries, and Netflix renewed it for a second season on October 2. Brown originated the role of Kimberly Reese on NBC’s original A Different World, which ran from 1987 to 1993, with additional credits on Martin and Living Single.
As the entertainment industry evolves, the companies argue that talent must grow not just as performers, but as businesses. Both firms will continue their independent operations while collaborating on management, career development, and new business opportunities through the venture. Brown is the kind of established figure they hope to champion, and they plan to apply the same model to emerging artists ready for the next level.
About Charnele Brown
Charnele Brown is an actress known for playing Kimberly Reese on the original NBC series A Different World and for her work on Martin and Living Single. She plays Dr. Kimberly Reese Boyer in Netflix’s A Different World sequel series, which premiered September 24, 2026, and has been renewed for a second season.
About Jackson Agency
Jackson Agency is a full-service talent, literary, and sports agency founded in 2014 by Tiauna Jackson, described as an unconventional agent for the talent the industry overlooks. The agency represents actors, writers, athletes, and creators, and protects what they own: name, image, likeness, and intellectual property. Learn more at tja.agency.
About Perdue Inc.
Perdue Inc. is a public relations and communications company founded by Francis Perdue, with more than 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, entertainment publicity, and brand development. The company works with talent, businesses, and organizations to increase visibility, develop partnerships, and build stronger brands. Learn more at perdueinc.me.
Francis Perdue
Perdue Inc.
+1 323-325-1776
info@perdueinc.me
Why it matters: This partnership signals a growing trend where artists are treated as holistic business entities, not just on-screen talents. By combining representation with brand management and IP protection, the venture could serve as a model for how performers navigate an increasingly fragmented entertainment economy. For Brown, it’s a chance to cement a legacy that spans decades while helping shape the next generation of stars.
