Spoiler Alert: This story contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 2 of “Severance,” streaming now on Apple TV+.
In Season 2, Episode 2 of “Severance,” Tramell Tillman shows a new, rather cool side to his pitiless floor manager Mr. Milchick.
Wearing a fitted leather jacket, he zooms across the snowy town of Kier on a motorcycle, convincing Mark (Adam Scott) to stay at Lumon and firing — and then rehiring — Dylan (Zach Cherry) and Irving (John Turturro). In an episode set both before and after the events of the season premiere, he’s been tasked with salvaging the MDR department after Mark refuses to work without his team. Clearly, his mysterious Cold Harbor project is a priority for Lumon.
The episode gives viewers a chance to follow Milchick around and see how he operates outside of the office — and how he interfaces with the outies versus the innies. Still, Milchick is a tough nut to crack, his exact ambitions yet to be determined as an unsevered middle manager.
Tillman tells Variety that Milchick has been “indoctrinated” into Lumon, and his “identity is tied to the work he does, the Lumon philosophy and the ideals of Kier.” Still, he says it’s “unclear” to what degree Milchick actually believes in those ideals, hinting at a possible awakening later in the season.
“What happens in the rest of the season, there seems to be a bit of an unfolding,” Tillman says of his hard-to-read character. “He’s starting to awaken as a human and learn more about himself and the company.”
Below, Tillman talks about learning how to ride a motorcycle for the series, how Milchick may have sneakily unseated Ms. Cobel (Patricia Arquette) and why he doesn’t view his character as a villain.
When Milchick fires Irving and Dylan, he lies about why they’ve been let go from Lumon. What is Lumon’s strategy here? Won’t their outies find out about the rebellion their innies launched?
Within Episode 2, there’s a question Milchick poses to Helena. He asks her, “Do you want me to fire them?” And she says, “Let Kier guide your hand.” This is a really interesting moment, because the fate of these outies and innies rests in Milchick’s lap. So, he’s trying to figure this out himself — there is no handbook. When it comes to Dylan, he does tell him that he was involved in an altercation, which is true. But he does not give the specifics of what his innie did. With Irving, there’s a bit of mystique. That moment speaks to the craftiness of Milchick and his ability to solve problems in the moment.
Milchick has built a certain level of trust with the outies, who don’t know him that well but have let him into their homes. How does Milchick’s relationship with the outies differ from his relationship with the innies?
His relationship with the innies is more scholastic. There’s a teacher relationship that he has with them, kind of like a child wrangler, if you will. With the outies, he’s more reminiscent of a customer service representative. He puts on a different hat to ensure that he has their trust. We see that in action when Milchick visits Mark’s outie to try to get him to come back to Lumon. He offers him a pay raise and then speaks to his humanity, about the struggles he’s dealing with in regards to Gemma. His pitch is a very clever way of speaking to Mark’s psychological state.
Talk about Milchick’s new swag. Whose idea was it that he would ride a motorcycle and wear a leather jacket?
That has to do with the imagination of Ben Stiller and Dan Erickson. Ben used to ride a motorcycle — I think he rode for 20-plus years — and he has this image that Milchick is this real cool guy. It’s a very different take on how we would think Milchick would travel. So, to find that this guy has a bit of rebel in him, a bit of a wild side, creates more mystery for the audience to figure out who he is.
Did you have to learn how to ride a motorcycle for the show?
I did have to learn how to ride a motorcycle. My first time learning, I crashed the bike twice in one session. So, that was fun. Immediately after I crashed the bike the second time, our stunt coordinator said, “We’re done for the day.” I was ready to go back on the bike! But they wanted to make sure that I was safe.
Well, you pulled it off on screen.
I appreciate that. I got my permit and everything.
-Is this something that you’re going to take with you or leave on set?
Continue to ride? I don’t know. My hat’s off to people who are motorcyclists, but I don’t know if it’s for me.
How much have you been told about Milchick’s backstory, and how much do you envision for yourself?
Oh, it’s totally left up to my own imagination. As an actor, I like to create backstories for the characters that I play. Ben and Dan have been collaborative in talking about character backstories, so I would share my notes and they would look at them and evaluate them. But they wouldn’t tell me if I was in the right direction. This whole process, especially with Season 1, has been an exercise in improv, if you will, because I’ll have an idea and then come on set and read the script, and it’s something totally different.
Interesting! So you’ve come to Ben and Dan with ideas about Milchick, and they don’t tell you whether they’re on the same page?
No. They’ll say something if I’m far off. They’ll guide me. But what it speaks to is a synergy on set. With the limited information that I’ve had to create a character, I’ve been able to find some truths that they find interesting. Whether it’s correct, or whether they want to continue in that vein, is up in the air. But I believe it speaks to the creative connection we are all having — that whatever I’m creating in my head and manifesting on screen is serving the direction they want to go.
How do you view Milchick’s ambitions? What are his goals?
I think he’s incredibly ambitious. Where he wants to go — as a company man, you soar as high as you can in service of the organization. So if there is an opportunity to serve at a different level, you take it. That’s what Milchick has done. In Season 1, Cobel asked Natalie after Helly attempted suicide, “Has Milchick told the board about this?” We never get a clear answer. But we see that Milchick escorts Cobel out. Who is now in the seat of Cobel? Milchick.
Ooh. Interesting.
We also have this “Tell-Tale Heart” moment in Season 2 where his computer says “Hello, Ms. Cobel.” And he’s like, “You need to change my screen immediately.” He’s sitting with that, over and over again. This is a man who is willing to climb the corporate ladder and do what it takes to get there. But he’s not a person without heart, or without conscience.
Do you view him as a villain?
I do not. I think he’s incredibly complicated. The circumstances are complex, and as the season carries forth, I believe that audiences will start to see that unfold a bit.
What was it like working with Sarah Bock, and how does the Ms. Huang character shake up the dynamic at Lumon?
Sarah is wonderful. She is an incredible actor. Very smart. She plays Wordle with an efficiency that is unparalleled. Milchick does not feel as warmly about Ms. Huang as I feel about Sarah Bock. There is something to be said when your position is easily replaced by a child. So, Milchick harbors some bitterness. While she is a part of this fellowship, and he is now having to watch over her, she finds ways to insert herself into Milchick’s business. He does not take kindly to that.
Both Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller have said that they have an end point in mind for the series, and that there are outlines for Season 3. How much are the actors clued into the trajectory of the story? Do you know anything beyond Season 2?
I don’t know anything. I’m very eager to hear. I think it’s very smart that they have a destination in mind. That’s important.
Season 3 has not been officially greenlit, but have they started putting you on hold for filming?
I can’t speak to that. My head has been in Season 2. I look forward to hearing more, but I don’t know.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
