Innovative’s Josiah Akinyele Joins ColorCreative As Manager
Talent agent Josiah Akinyele has left Innovative Artists after 17 years to join ColorCreative, the management and production company co-founded by Issa Rae, Deniese Davis and Talitha Watkins, taking up a role as manager. The move sees a veteran industry figure shift from agenting to management, bringing with him a long-standing roster of acting clients, and reflects ColorCreative's continued expansion of its management team.
Akinyele will report to ColorCreative President Talitha Watkins and brings clients including Perry Mattfeld, Cam Gigandet, Kevin Carroll, Yetide Badaki, Julie Ann Emery, Shane Paul McGhie, Michael Hyatt, Toby Onwumere, Ali Gallo, Bonko Khoza, Connor Duermit, Elijah Jones III and Benjamin Anthony Anderson. Raised in Nigeria before returning to the US to study at George Washington University, he began his career in Innovative Artists' mailroom and was promoted to agent in 2012. The announcement coincides with ColorCreative also promoting Wyatt Allen to manager, working across film, television, digital creators, touring and intellectual property.
In short
- Josiah Akinyele leaves Innovative Artists after 17 years for ColorCreative
- Joins as manager, reporting to President Talitha Watkins
- Brings long-time client roster; Wyatt Allen also promoted to manager
Explained simply
Talent agents and managers both help performers build their careers, but their roles differ. Agents typically seek and negotiate work, while managers give broader career guidance and help shape how clients develop professionally.
Innovative Artists is a talent agency where Josiah Akinyele worked for 17 years, rising from the mailroom to become an agent. ColorCreative is a management and production company co-founded by Issa Rae, Deniese Davis and Talitha Watkins; its managers work with talent across areas including film, television and digital media.
Akinyele’s move brings his existing acting clients with him and adds an experienced manager to ColorCreative’s team. It also marks a change in his own role, from representing talent as an agent to guiding clients’ careers as a manager.
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