Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller have been named co-heads of HBO Documentary and Family Programming, HBO programming president Casey Bloys announced Tuesday.
“With Nancy and Lisa leading a stellar team, there will be a continued commitment to the excellence that was a hallmark of Sheila’s tenure,” Bloys said in a press release. “Our viewers can look forward to a compelling slate of programming.”
Nevins revealed the news of her exit in an in-depth interview with Maureen Dowd that went live on Saturday.
“There’s something exciting about leaving a job. I can’t explain it. I have deprived my life of a life. All I did was work. I was, like, born at HBO and I don’t have to die there,” Nevins told Dowd. “If I stayed any longer, I probably would have died at my desk. I just regret that there’s so little time left.”
The exec has helmed the network’s documentary division since 1979 and acted as president since 2004. In the time that Nevins has been running the show, HBO has won 26 Oscars, the most recent being for 2015’s “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness.”
Abraham and Heller, who will be taking on the roles of executive vice presidents, are both currently senior vice presidents in the division, tackling development, production and acquisition for HBO Documentary and Family programming.
Abraham has been with the HBO department since 1995 and was promoted to vice president in 1998. She became a senior VP in 2009. Abraham has been programming executive for projects like “Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds,” “Cries from Syria,” “Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper,” “Life According to Sam,” “Six by Sondheim,” “The Loving Story,” “Ethel” and “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory.”
Heller moved into HBO’s documentary division in 2000 from her role as executive producer for the PBS documentary series “POV.” She was promoted to vice president in 2001 and became senior vice president in 2012. Heller has taken point as programming exec on “Born into Brothels,” “Capturing the Friedmans,” “Everything Is Copy – Nora Ephron: Scripted & Unscripted,” “Spielberg,” “The Black List,” “The Words That Built America” and the series “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst,” and family programs like “Sesame Street.”
'Big Little Lies': 7 Reasons the Golden Globes Darling Is So Worth Watching (Photos)
"Big Little Lies" became the darling of this year's Golden Globes when it cleaned up during Monday's nominations with six to its name. If you haven't already binged this deliciously thrilling series we suggest you get to it before the award show airs on Jan. 7. After all, you're gonna want to be in the know when your soon-to-be favorite series sweeps every category. Here are seven reasons you need to view the HBO hit ASAP.
Okay, this "limited series" business was clearly more than a little lie after fans and critics alike ate the drama up and demanded the story continue. You have even more of a reason to enjoy the show now that you know it was recently renewed for a second season.
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2. The cast alone will knock your socks off
Before the show even aired we were ready for this series to be a smash-hit just based on the epic list of stars who signed on. When you have Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Zoe Kravitz, Alexander Skarsgard and Adam Scott front and center, you're surely in for a fun ride.
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3. Drama, drama, drama
Oh. My. God. If you thought "Game of Thrones" was the most intense thing on TV, wait until you get through the first episode of "BLL." You will never regret the time you spent getting entangled in the lives of the women of Monterey, California. (Well, you might. But only if you don't want to obsess over their secrets forever.)
By the end of the first season of "Big Little Lies" you will fully believe these women would die for each other. They may start out as "friends," but by the time the closing moments of the finale roll around, they seem more like sisters. We can't tell you what makes their bond that crazy tight, but believe us, it's worth the wait to find out on your own.
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5. The kids
The moms may be the leads in this series, but their children are the catalysts for the conflict that drives the plot. Plus, they are pretty damn good actors themselves. And also totally adorable.
"Big Little Lies" is based on a 2014 novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty -- which we highly recommend as supplemental reading. Moriarty had a producing and writing credit on the show and fans of the book could definitely feel her touch on screen.
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7. The twist
It's impossible to try and tell someone that they need to watch "Big Little Lies" without teasing the fact there is a HUGE, jaw-dropping twist. While we refuse to reveal what the big shocker is (though we're itching to talk about it with pretty much everyone in the world), it is one of the best selling-points for the series. Seriously, it may sound cliché, but you will be on the edge of your seat throughout all seven episodes waiting for all the shoes to drop.
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HBO series sets pace in TV categories with highest number of nominations
"Big Little Lies" became the darling of this year's Golden Globes when it cleaned up during Monday's nominations with six to its name. If you haven't already binged this deliciously thrilling series we suggest you get to it before the award show airs on Jan. 7. After all, you're gonna want to be in the know when your soon-to-be favorite series sweeps every category. Here are seven reasons you need to view the HBO hit ASAP.