Severance star Tramell Tillman reveals how he wanted to show his character more authentic to his roots

When Tramell Tillman was preparing to play Seth Milchik in Severance, he wanted to play the character authentically. Something almost every Black artist wants to do is to portray their characters honestly, honoring their roots and cultural history. In Severance, Milchik isn't just a manager at Lumon Industries. He is a human who has to do extremely difficult things but gets mistreated anyway.

Tillman's performance as Milchik has been highly praised, and he has been nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. As Tramell Tillman spoke to Variety in an interview, he revealed how he wanted to show his character more authentically.

Tramell Tillman about playing Seth Milchik authentically in Severance

Tramell Tillman plays Seth Milchik in Severance, who used to be Deputy Manager at the Severed floor and is now the Manager. When Milchik is made to lead the marching band after the Cold Harbor task, the scene draws on an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) tradition, which, in a way, allows him to celebrate himself after being criticized for his

"big words"

Tramell Tillman spoke with Variety about incorporating his HBCU roots in the drum scene, saying,

"When I learned there’d be a celebration with a band, I didn’t want to reinforce a stereotype of “Every season the Black man dances.” They understood. I wanted Milchick’s movements to feel intentional, not random; this wasn’t a co-worker who just showed up to kickline for no reason — it followed his being policed over vocabulary, terrible paintings and boardroom disrespect. Yes, it celebrates Mark, but this is also a moment for Milchick: Just like Tramell needed to be seen, Milchick needed to be seen.

It was very important for me that this character did not shy away from his Blackness. I asked if we could infuse HBCU energy — that’s how we got that style. That celebration was for him. That was him reclaiming joy. I knew it would feel authentic."

Despite being a character who has done questionable things to keep his job, Milchik is not exactly in power at Lumon. While he does hold some authority, it doesn't translate to real power, which further shows how disposable he is, along with the rest of the employees. Besides, the fact that he gets so easily disrespected for something so small shows why the drum scene was so significant.

Drumming is an important part of marching bands, especially for HBCUs, and symbolizes energy, joy, and pride. By keeping the scene culturally authentic, Tillman portrayed the exact feelings Milchik was going through then. The scene might also make one wonder about Milchik's outie, what he might be like, and how he would react to the treatment his innie is receiving.

Speaking about what Milchik's outie might be like, Tillman said,

"I’m always intrigued by people’s histories. If I could go back to any time period, it would be the 1950s, because I want to watch my parents grow up. With Milchick, it’s understanding where this man came from. I’m fascinated by history and how people get to certain points."

It'll be interesting to see Milchik's outie if and when he's introduced in Severance, and how Tillman brings authenticity to that side of his character as well.

Severance is streaming on Apple TV+.

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