‘Little Fires Everywhere’ Showrunner Liz Tigelaar Inks Pod Deal With ABC Studios

Denise Petski

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Writer/producer Liz Tigelaar (Little Fires Everywhere) has launched Best Day Ever, a new production company, which has entered a two-year overall pod deal with ABC Studios. Additionally, former Netflix executive Stacey Silverman will serve as Tigelaar’s producing partner at the new company.

Tigelaar is currently showrunner and executive producer of the upcoming limited series Little Fires Everywhere, produced by ABC Signature Studios. Starring and executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, the series is based on the bestselling novel by Celeste Ng, and debuts on Hulu on March 18.

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“Liz is not only incredibly talented, but she’s exactly the kind of smart, collaborative, thoughtful showrunner that we want at ABC Studios,” said Jonnie Davis, President, ABC Studios. “Her work on Little Fires Everywhere has been extraordinary and her track record of creating emotional, dense, groundbreaking stories is the perfect fit with the direction our studio is taking. She and Stacey are going to be a great team.”

Tigelaar previously served as showrunner and executive producer of Hulu’s Golden Globe-nominated comedy Casual, created by Zander Lehmann and executive produced by Jason Reitman. Best known for creating the critically acclaimed drama series Life Unexpected, which aired on the CW for two seasons, Tigelaar got her writing start on NBC’s groundbreaking drama American Dreams. She went on to write and produce such series as ABC’s What About Brian, Dirty Sexy Money, Brothers and Sisters, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Nashville and Astronaut Wives Club, A&E’s Bates Motel, and most recently, The Morning Show on Apple.

Tigelaar grew up in Dallas, Texas, and Guilford, Connecticut, and graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Scriptwriting and Politics. She got her start as an assistant on Dawson’s Creek, followed by Once and Again, where she was mentored by one of her writing idols, Winnie Holzman.

Silverman joins Best Day Ever from Netflix where she most recently served as Director of Content, overseeing U.S. and International Originals. While there, she spearheaded such series as You, Insatiable, Daybreak, and the upcoming Locke & Key.

Prior to Netflix, Silverman served as a TV development executive at Universal Television, Alloy Entertainment, and CBS Studios, developing such series as Gypsy (Netflix), The 100 (The CW), and The Path (Hulu), among others.

Tigelaar and Silverman were brought together by TV writer and dear friend, Padma Atluri, who passed away young, but not without making an indelible, lasting impact on them and everyone she knew.

“I am so excited to call ABC Studios home. I feel eternally grateful to Dana, Craig, Jonnie and their entire team — both for their support of Little Fires Everywhere, and for their partnership in all I aspire to create and accomplish together,” said Tigelaar. “Through Best Day Ever, Stacey and I look forward to continuing to do what we love most — tell resonant, character-driven, relevant stories that we’re passionate about — while raising up the next generation of future showrunners, especially those whose stories haven’t been given voice.”

Tigelaar is repped by Wendy Kirk and PJ Shapiro at Ziffren Brittenham.

 

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