What Tramell Tillman Learned From His Own ‘Severance’ Re-Watch

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[This story contains spoilers from Severance season one’s finale.]

Similar to many others, Tramell Tillman has recently been rewatching the first season of “Severance” on Apple TV+. As a prominent cast member, Tillman portrayed Milchick, the manager of Lumon Industries’ severed employees, so he was present for every scene. However, the show’s extended break has also challenged his memory recall, and he wanted to be well-prepared for the flood of questions during the press tour leading up to the highly anticipated season two debut (the series returns on the platform this Friday). His main observation from the rewatch? “I can see why people might want to argue with me,” he chuckles. “While I was filming season one, I thought it was all fun — but now, I realize it’s truly frightening. I barely recognize that character as myself.

As Tillman, aged 39, hunkered down in my New York apartment following a late-December journey from Comic-Con Brazil with the Severance cast, I found myself engrossed in warm and casual conversations amidst the post-travel buzz. The trailer for Season 2 of Severance was released during my travels, so while I battled jet lag, I’ve been exchanging messages with friends, family, and colleagues about the footage – the first glimpse since the season one finale aired in April 2022. “Everyone is buzzing about what’s happening at Lumen, and whether we’ll pick up where we left off,” I shared. However, the most frequent query I’ve been receiving is: “What on earth took us so long?”

In response to the initial question, the answer is simple: The second season starts with Lumon’s employees dealing with the aftermath of the severed floor trying to discover their counterparts outside the company. Regarding the second question, here’s the explanation: Production for season two resumed in the fall of 2022, but it was halted when the Writers Guild of America strike occurred in the following spring. The cast and crew chose to stop working in support of the strike. As he puts it, “We experienced a significant, groundbreaking change within our industry, and we needed to address that.” In his few years here, he’s learned that nothing is certain — but he remained hopeful that they would continue. When the Screen Actors Guild strike was resolved, everyone returned to set in January 2024.

For Tillman, taking on the role of Milchick marked a significant breakthrough in his career. Originally from Maryland, Tillman nurtured an early love for acting while simultaneously pursuing a degree in communications and working at a nonprofit. Eventually, his creative aspirations prevailed, leading him to enroll in the University of Tennessee’s MFA program for acting, becoming the first Black man to graduate from this program in 2014. Since then, he has appeared as a guest star on series such as Elementary and Godfather of Harlem, eventually securing his place on Severance. This newfound commercial and critical success has placed him in settings – be it parties or professional gatherings – he could hardly have imagined before. Tillman is now part of the cast for the next Mission Impossible film, attended the Emmy’s, and finds that many celebrities are surprised by his friendliness when they meet him. Additionally, people often mistake him for British – an assumption he views as a compliment.

Currently, he’s keen on making the most out of this phase of his career, drawing from insights learned in MI8, and harboring a dream to work on Shakespearean plays, Marvel productions, or musical films someday. Yet, he emphasizes that he’s primarily seeking projects that resonate deeply with him. He explains, “Storytelling is, for me, akin to ministry – it’s a spiritual pursuit. I recall the enthusiasm of the crowd in Brazil when they saw us, the joy they derived from our performances, it’s truly a unique and precious experience.

While I eagerly anticipate the next chapter of “Severance,” I can’t help but be swamped with queries about it. When someone recently asked if we might witness another viral dance scene, reminiscent of the captivating maraca sequence from season one, I couldn’t reveal any secrets (wink-wink). In fact, that scene wasn’t scripted in detail, so we had to improvise the choreography, and it took us two whole days to film. It was a delightful surprise to see it become such a massive hit, so knowing people are curious about whether I’ll dance again is already a rewarding experience for me!

Severance releases the first two episodes of season two Friday on Apple TV+.

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2025-01-17 20:28