As the long-awaited second season of Severance approaches its finale episode, actor Tramell Tillman continues to be a fan-favorite among viewers of the hit Apple TV+ series.
QUEERTY: Tillman, 39, plays Milchick, a supervisor at Lumon Industries — a biotech conglomerate where employees are implanted with a brain microchip that splits their consciousness and memory into dual existences. The Maryland-raised actor was a breakout star during the show’s debut season. But he is now receiving even more glowing reviews for his Season 2 performance, viewers are praising the emotional layers he brought to his portrayal of Milchick and the character’s complex storyline.
Severance has had a record-breaking return to Apple TV+ following its January 17 premiere, the show’s second season has become the most-watched series in the streamer’s history.
Many viewers have even sparked some awards talk about Tillman. Fans of the show have been taking to social media to suggest he should win an Emmy for his Severance performance. Tillman has already received both SAG and Independent Spirit Award nominations for his work on the first two season of the show.
Tillman’s success as a Black queer actor remains a major inspiration for the Black queer community — especially for those who may not take a more traditional route into their acting careers.
Tillman initially forewent his interest in acting to get a degree in communications and work at a nonprofit. However, he eventually decided to give his acting dreams his full attention, enrolling in the Master of Fine Arts acting program at University of Tennessee. When he completed his masters degree program in 2014, he made history by becoming the first Black man to earn a MFA degree in acting from the University of Tennessee.
Severance has given Tillman another scene stealing opportunity. While the show’s Season 2 finale will be released on March 21, his new role in the upcoming Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning (May 25, 2025) starring Tom Cruise, will give viewers another chance to watch and support Tillman’s acting work — this time on the bigger screen.
