Between television, film and theater, Tramell Tillman is in the spotlight. Tillman reprises his role as Seth Milchick — a seemingly unflappable company man — in the second season of the hit Apple TV+ show Severance. After the fallout from Lumon’s questionable workplace practices being exposed at the end of the first season, Milchick works hard to ensure that the staff never threatens Lumon’s stability again. But that’s not the only role Tillman is sinking his teeth into.
In an interview with CBR, Tillman talks about how Severance Season 2 has escalated compared to Season 1, and how that affects Milchick. Yet he also hints at his mystery appearance in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which is scheduled to release in May 2025. Plus, the actor discusses the difference between these huge TV and movie projects and working on stage.
CBR: The first thing to notice about your character Milchick in Severance Season 2 is how much he leans into the 1970s look. How would you describe his wardrobe, and did it help your performance?
Image via Apple TV+
Tramell Tillman: Our costume department is spectacular. They’re really wonderful and smart. [Costume designer] Sarah Edwards is top-tier, just creme-de-la-creme. Even just finding Milchick has been very collaborative. Sarah and [Severance executive producer/director] Ben Stiller would both sit down with me and say, “What do you think he’s wearing on this day? This occasion feels very special.”
The cashmere turtleneck in the defiant jazz scene in Season 1 was a point of collaboration. When this guy feels special, he breaks out the turtleneck sweater for this occasion to celebrate. I really enjoy finding the essence of who that character is even through clothes.
There is a lot more frustration and passive-aggression from Milchick in dealing with Mark and the others in Season 2. How did you capture that under the veneer that Lumon workers have?
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It’s tricky. I watched so much joy for my fellow ensemble members. I watched the camaraderie that the four friends have with each other. There’s a part of me that’s jealous of that, because we don’t get to see Milchick express that. So much is his commitment to Lumon, his commitment to productivity and him pleasing his bosses. Some of that feeds into the passive aggression and manifests in its way.
I get to see them play around with each other and, because I don’t get to join in and share in the frolic, I have to find my own way to frolic. I think that the incentives that he brings in Season 1 really speak to the joy that he has. It’s the one moment that he can let loose — which is the tricky thing about being in positions of power, especially middle management. You always have to be the heavy, or always have to find that fine line [between] friendship and work life, that balance.
When you spoke to CBR about Severance Season 1, you mentioned how specific the production details were. At the same time, there is that great spirit of collaboration behind-the-scenes. How was it building up from that foundation for Season 2?
Image via Apple TV+.
I think it’s even more collaborative because we, as artists, have grown so much in the time since we’ve stepped away from Season 1 into Season 2. I’m currently rewatching Season 1, and I look at it and say to myself, “We look like babies! We look so young!”
So much has happened to our world in the course of those three years, so I believe we brought so much more life, more energy and complexity to our characters, and so many more ideas that create this wonderful masterpiece that I’m excited for audiences to see in Season 2. We leaned in a lot more.
Severance Season 2 is one of the most anticipated television premieres of 2025. How have you felt seeing people embrace the show and wait so eagerly for it to come back?
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I don’t think anyone could have predicted that this show was going to have the impact that it does. I knew it was special when we watched a simple sizzle reel right before the Christmas holiday in December. At that point, it locked in for me that this is the tone of the show and the story that we’re trying to tell. Even still, it was snippets. When I had the opportunity to see it all together, I was gobsmacked.
I had no idea that this was the end product. When you see so many rally behind it and so many of our fans who find themselves implicated in the stories of these characters and want to know more, it’s really rewarding and exciting. I hope that excitement and anticipation builds after Season 2 comes out.
Once you realized what the unique tone and presentation was, did that color your performance and return to the role?
100%, it colors what I do. With this show, it is very specific — the tone is specific, the characters are specific. You don’t want to forsake the work and quality in Season 1 in crafting Season 2. If anything, you want to enhance it and support it. With the creative geniuses that touch this piece, I really believe that we’ve elevated our work from Season 1 into Season 2.
Did you want to carry a particular element of Milchick’s character through between seasons, especially since Severance Season 2 is so much more heightened?
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I go back to what I remember as the prompt for Milchick in Season 1 – he’s an enthusiastic company man. I had to sit with that and figure out what it meant to be a company man. In my interpretation, this is someone who is dedicated, focused, die-hard and committed to doing what it takes to serve the company. I believe that’s a major throughline for Milchick. We see how and if that shifts in Season 2.
Severance Season 2 has Milchick being almost petty at times, with the lengths he goes to for Lumon in trying to do damage control. What was it like to play that part of him?
Image via Apple TV+
We see a little bit of that in Season 1. We see what happens, especially with Helly. In Season 1, things were going well before Helly got integrated. Everything was fine! Petey was missing, and we were going to try to figure out where he was, but we were going to stay on track and everything was fine. [Helly] came in and started ruffling feathers.
You start to see the cracks through the veneer of Milchick as it disintegrates a bit. He’s finding himself having to up his tactics. Speaking of the fallout at the end of Season 1 from Helly/Helena, a lot of the chaos that ensues is because of Milchick, with the overtime contingency. He made a big risk by introducing this to Dylan and that risk bit him in the ass. I’m finding that he really has to double down, dig his heels and cover up his tracks as much as possible.
Severance Season 2 isn’t your only major release. You have a role in one of the biggest movies of 2025 with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. What are you able to say about Mission: Impossible 8, and how does working with Christopher McQuarrie compare to working with Ben Stiller?
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It’s bigger and better than ever. I had such a great time working on that production. Everyone was so lovely, and it really feels like you’re a part of a massive machine in that movie. It’s epic. I always thought it was epic watching Mission: Impossible, but it’s nothing like being in the world of it.
[McQuarrie and Stiller are] both very exacting and very collaborative. They both have a vision [and] a sense of direction. It is very clear who is running the show on both sets, in that you get a sense of relief and know that you’re in great hands.
In addition to television and film, you still stay very active in the theater. How do you maintain your stage career in between your other projects, and why is it important to you to do so?
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It’s how I got started and fell in love with performing. I started at 10 years old on a stage in a church, and something ignited in me, and I’ve been following it ever since. I don’t ever think that theater will not be a part of my life, because there’s nothing like performing live. I still want to honor and support that. I still want that to continue to be part of my journey of performing as an artist.
Is it a challenge coming back to the world of theater after appearing in big, technical film and television projects?
Image via Apple TV+
You have to switch gears a bit. You realize that, with theater, you get a lot more takes with more rehearsal. There is a lot more conversation about the role — whereas with the experiences that I’ve had in television and film, it’s on the day and in the moment. The takes are the takes and then you move on.
With theater, you get to try it over and over again. You get to find new things and explore. I think it’s a treat to be able to have that experience… to sit in the world of that character and tell a story one more time for a different audience of people. You get feedback in the moment, and that’s really rewarding.
Created by Dan Erickson, Severance Season 2 premieres Jan. 17, 2025 on Apple TV+.
Severance
