EVP Head of Scripted Programming | EPIX
Nancy Cotton is Executive Vice President, Head of Scripted Programming for EPIX, overseeing development and production of all original scripted series on the network. Since joining EPIX in February 2018, Cotton has greenlit originals The Godfather of Harlem starring and produced by Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker and created by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein (Narcos); DC origin story Pennyworth created and executive produced by Bruno Heller (Gotham, Rome) and executive produced and directed by Danny Cannon, both of which have recently commenced second seasons; as well as Perpetual Grace, LTD starring Oscar-winner Sir Ben Kingsley, Jackie Weaver and Jimmi Simpson and created and executive produced by Steve Conrad and Bruce Terris (Patriot); BELGRAVIA, created by Julian Fellowes (Downtown Abbey); War of the Worlds, created by Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Elizabeth McGovern; and upcoming series Chapelwaite, based on the Stephen King short story Jerusalem’s Lot and starring Oscar-winner Adrien Brody. Under Cotton’s purview, EPIX’s roster of original scripted series also includes critically-acclaimed Get Shorty starring Chris O’Dowd and Ray Romano, as well as two seasons of spy-thriller Deep State starring Mark Strong and Walton Goggins.
Prior to joining EPIX, Cotton was President, Heyday TV USA. Working with David Heyman (Harry Potter, Gravity, Marriage Story), she oversaw series targeted for broadcast, cable, and streaming, including the NBC dramatic series The Inbetween from showrunner Moira Kirland. At Heyday TV, Cotton also had projects in development with Emmy and Oscar-winning director Susanne Bier, Oscar-nominated writer Richard Lagravenese, Oscar-nominated director Jamie Donoughue, and celebrated actor Patrick Dempsey.
From 2007-2016, Cotton was Senior Vice President, Creative Affairs at Fox 21 Television Studios (formerly Fox Television Studios). She developed and oversaw the award-winning and critically acclaimed drama The Americans (FX), the Emmy-nominated series The Killing (AMC and Netflix), and Queen of the South (USA), starring Alice Braga. She also developed The Chi ( Showtime), written by Emmy award winner Lena Waithe, as well as Veena Sud’s Seven Seconds (Netflix), starring Oscar-winner Regina King. In addition, she oversaw The Comedians (FX), starring multi-award-winning actors Billy Crystal and Josh Gad, Oscar-winner Holly Hunter’s Emmy-nominated Saving Grace (TNT), and Emmy-nominated The Riches (FX), starring Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver.
Prior to FTVS, Cotton was head of television for Mel Gibson’s Icon Productions where she executive-produced broadcast series including Kevin Hill (UPN), starring Taye Diggs, Clubhouse (CBS), starring Dean Cain, Mare Winningham and Christopher Lloyd, and Complete Savages (ABC), co-created by The Simpsons writers Mike and Julie Thacker Scully. Cotton also executive produced the acclaimed 10-part documentary series Carrier (PBS), which followed the US Navy’s nuclear aircraft supercarrier USS Nimitz on its six-month tour to the Persian Gulf in 2005.
Cotton was Vice President of Programming for Mandalay Television, where she produced Young Americans (WB), starring Kate Bosworth and Ian Sommerholder, and worked on Jeremy Piven vehicle Cupid (ABC), created by Rob Thomas (creator of Veronica Mars). Before Mandalay, Cotton was Director, Drama Series at ABC, and oversaw numerous series including David Kelley’s award-winning The Practice. Cotton began her television career as an assistant in the television literary department at The William Morris Agency.
MIA Drama Advisory Board 2020
