77th Emmys: Tramell Tillman Makes History "Look at God"
“Do the work. Show up. And most importantly, for the love of God, don’t embarrass me in public.” Actor Tramell Tillman, of Apple TV+ Severance, made Emmy history tonight at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards as the first Black actor to win Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
During his speech, he attributed his success to the unyielding love and support of his first acting coach, his mother, in a dedication that was both powerful and succinct. Tillman’s win also marks a historic victory for the LGBTQ+ community as he is the first openly gay man to achieve this honor at the Emmys.
Tillman plays the charismatic and threatening Mr. Milchick who embodies the suffocating and soul-sucking nature of corporate America at Lumon Industries, where the show takes place. Season 2 marked a special moment for Tillman as his talents flowed through the character so intricately, almost as if he shared DNA with Mr. Milchick himself, taking social media by storm. During the season finale, “Cold Harbor,” Mr. Milchick led a marching band in a celebratory performance highlighting a major plot point of the entire series (sorry, no spoilers here).
Mr. Milchick’s mere existence embodied the themes of the entire show that resonated with the many viewers watching from their Apple devices (not on the clock, of course). The character, a straightforward “enforcer” bound by rigid rules, gradually faced inner conflict that Tillman expertly portrayed in the multi-layered and nuanced intricacies of his performance—displaying corporate America’s system of control and how it can consume its employees from the inside out.
While Severance led in Emmy nods with 27 nominations, the series fell short of expectations, failing to snag the much anticipated awards in some of its bigger categories. However, all is not sad eyes and unhappy times for the cast and crew. During the Creative Arts Emmys, Severance walked away with 6 wins. And tonight, along with Tillman’s historic win, Britt Lower won her first Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
On the red carpet, Adam Scott promised Season 3 would not have a long break in between like Season’s 1 and 2. So what does this mean for the show? 27 nominations and 8 wins is a great energy boost going into production. One would count the entire experience as a major Emmy success.
Stream seasons 1 and 2 of ‘Severance’ on Apple TV+.