How Britt Lower’s bathroom audition won her Severance: “A chance to show them”

Severance's Britt Lower earned her first-ever Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 2025 Emmys, for her flawless portrayal of Helly R. in Apple TV+'s thriller series.

However, in the summer of 2019, as Lower filmed her first-ever audition tape for Helly R., she couldn’t have imagined that she’d not only secure the part but also earn an Emmy.

Ben Stiller and Dan Erickson's sci-fi psychological thriller might be the biggest titles on television now, but back in 2019, it was just a script on paper, waiting to find its perfect cast. While established actors like Adam Scott, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken made the project even bigger, budding stars like Britt Lower were a revelation, and now the actress has picked her very first Emmy for Severance.

Recently, Apple TV+ released Lower's bathroom audition for Helly R. The tape showcases Lower’s deep passion for the role and her insight into the character, making it clear she was the perfect choice to play the severed employee in Apple TV’s thriller.

More on this in our story.

The audition tape that launched Severance’s Britt Lower to prominence

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lower revealed how she and her agent were confident that the actress would not land the Helly R. part in Severance. Back in 2019, when Lower read the character, she fell in love with her and decided to give her all in the audition tape.

“My approach to making self-tapes is like, this is a chance for me to show them what I would do if they chose me to play this role.'' Lower recalled

She added:

“And almost like you’ve shown up to set early, and the director and the DP, and everybody’s late, and they just want you to film it on your own. Like, show us what you would do.”

The actress reminisced about how she decided to film the tape in her bathroom. She filmed her character's introduction from the Severance Pilot, where Helly R. wakes up in a conference room, having no recollection of herself and her surroundings. Lower was so determined for the part and so engrossed in the physical acting of that scene that she even left black shoe marks on her white bathroom door.

Additionally, she asked one of her friends to rehearse Mark S.'s lines with her on the intercom, thus making the audition tape even more dramatic and real.

While Britt Lower was not confident about the Severance part, she ended up getting an in-person call from the show's creators, who were impressed with her physical acting and her interpretation of Helly R.'s character. The actress also recalled how her audition tape even made Stiller laugh, which was a 'win in itself', and the world finally got its Helly R.

Britt Lower's audition tape is already making rounds on the Internet, with her fans praising her determination and passion for the part. Even in that tape, the audience can feel how Lower connected with Helly R and understood her psyche in that very first (but iconic) scene, which makes her recent Emmy win even more deserving.

In addition to Lower's first-ever Emmy win, Severance managed to win a total of eight awards at the Emmys 2025, out of its 27 nominations. While Tramell Tillman won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Merritt Wever bagged the award for Outstanding Guest Actress.

Severance was also renewed for Season 3 in March 2025.

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Also Read: Emmys 2025 highlights

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