Tramell Tillman on ‘Severance’ Finale, Marching Band Dance

SPOILER ALERT: This story accommodates spoilers for Season 2, Episode 10 of “Severance,” streaming now on Apple TV+.

Tramell Tillman was executed dancing.

After his “Severance” character, Mr. Milchick, carried out a memorable and oft-memed “Music Dance Expertise” within the Apple TV+ present’s first season, he didn’t suppose it was potential to catch lightning in a bottle once more.

However when director and government producer Ben Stiller pitched him on a marching band sequence within the Season 2 finale, “Chilly Harbor,” Tillman noticed a possibility to faucet into his roots. “I went to 2 HBCUs, and one in every of them was Jackson State College. They housed the Sonic Increase of the South, among the finest marching bands within the nation, and I might watch them throughout my undergrad years with such awe and amazement within the athleticism, the creativity and the fervour that these musicians and dancers served with,” he tells Selection.

So, after Adam Scott’s Mark S. completes the all-important Chilly Harbor file, Milchick introduces the Choreography and Merriment division, serving because the drum main (with some slick strikes) whereas they rejoice Mark’s achievement.

It’s the cherry on high of a unbelievable season for Tillman, whose Milchick has delivered a few of the collection’ most iconic strains, from “Marshmallows are for workforce gamers” to “Devour feculence.” Under, Tillman unpacks Milchick’s greatest moments from the finale, from his comedy routine with Kier to that unforgettable marching band sequence.

How bodily demanding was it to movie these scenes kicking down the toilet door with the merchandising machine?

You realize, it actually felt good. As a result of Dan [Erickson] and his entire writing workforce did such a terrific job to craft the story of the place Milchick got here from to get to that time, I didn’t must act a lot as a way to knock the hell out of that merchandising machine down. It was so gratifying, as a result of the choreography for that merchandising machine was initially one thing completely completely different.

I used to be really purported to go down with the merchandising machine. However as luck would have it, there was one specific run the place I bumped into the merchandising machine and knocked it down on its finish, and I simply stood there. And that was the take that they went with. That is a lot cooler! After which simply did this superhero hop on high of the merchandising machine like a badass. I used to be like, let’s go! That is a lot enjoyable.

It’s fascinating that you just name him a badass, as a result of it seems like there’s been a reevaluation amongst followers surrounding this character that after might have been dismissed as merely a villain. What has it been like watching viewers develop empathy as we’ve realized extra about Milchick?

I find it irresistible. I completely find it irresistible. It’s so rewarding to see, as a result of it’s a really human factor for us to see somebody and robotically have our personal opinions of it. It’s safety. We do this for ourselves. However then to look at individuals’s opinions shift — and there are individuals which can be nonetheless not fully on board with the truth that he’s a very good man, which I completely respect — however the truth that individuals are beginning to query that, I used to be like, “We’re tapping into one thing. That is good. That is the place the dialog begins.”

The entire present talks about, “Who’re you?” We lead with that from day one, Season 1, Episode 1: “Who’re you?” I believe Milchick particularly has this identification journey the place he’s making an attempt to determine who he’s, and who he’s inside this firm.

This season has actually began to scratch the floor on what race means inside Lumon and the ways in which it impacts Milchick. What was your first thought whenever you learn the scene the place he receives the work of Kier depicted as a Black man?

Earlier than I even noticed that story within the script, Dan Erickson got here as much as me and requested me if it was OK to incorporate that story in his arc. And I recognize that. We took a threat by telling that story, as a result of if we didn’t inform the story and provides it justice, the present may take a complete completely different bend, and we may alienate a very good portion of our viewers. So there was a variety of dialog that I had with with Dan, with Ben, with Sydney Cole Alexander, who performs Natalie brilliantly, about how these two individuals of colour, these forward-facing individuals of colour, how they stick with it on this company construction, understanding that the company construction is somewhat bit racist.

And so what I recognize about that day, when Sydney and I had been on to movie that scene, is that Ben was basically fingers off. He mentioned, “You all do what you need to do.” And sure, he directed behind the scenes about microscopic moments, however for probably the most half, that was a dialog, a non-verbal dialog between Natalie and Milchick that Sydney and I had been discovering within the second as quickly because the board ended the decision. And that was electrical.

To hold that second on into Episode 5, proper earlier than he has his efficiency assessment, I used to be so grateful they stored that scene, as a result of that was below dialogue to be chopped. However I mentioned it’s so essential for Milchick to have one other alternative to attach with one other individual of colour about what he has skilled, and for Sydney, to have the ability to have her character actually reply or not reply.

This season, Milchick has been persistently reprimanded for utilizing large phrases, regardless of many different characters like Cobel and Jame Eagan additionally utilizing colourful language. Did you view that as an extension of these racist undertones inside the firm?

It was a complete microaggression. These individuals are policing his language and telling him what they really feel is suitable for this man to say. How belittling and controlling it’s of Drummond to strategy Milchick whereas he’s being reprimanded for one thing completely completely different, to then castigate him and say, “No, change your language. On high of you not bringing Mark in to refine to get to 100% for Chilly Harbor, I’m now going to stay the knife even deeper and chastise you since you are talking in a approach that you just shouldn’t be talking.” And it’s not even about protocol. It’s in all probability extra about ego than something, as a result of Drummond in all probability doesn’t know what “devour feculence” means. He has no thought, no however he realized that day.

Your supply of “mon-o-syl-a-bic-ally” and “devour feculence” in Episode 9 are a few of my favourite line readings of the season. How did you strategy that tense confrontation with Drummond once we see Milchick push again for the primary time?

I simply needed to lean into the moments that I’ve skilled, the place I felt I used to be being policed in my speech. You realize, rising up in PG County and having the significance of training, it was impressed upon us that we had been clever, and we introduced ourselves intelligently. However sadly, within the period I used to be rising up, intelligence was near whiteness.

So anytime you had been talking in a sure approach, utilizing your vowels and consonants, it was like, “Oh, you’re making an attempt to be white.” So no matter the truth that these individuals who had points with my vocabulary and my diction, it was nothing about me. It was all about their ego, and what they noticed was an expectation of me. So for me, that second was an enormous F-U. You’re not gonna management my speech. You’re not gonna inform me what to do. It was like child Tramell, teenage Tramell rose up in that second by means of Milchick. And he checked him. It was crucial.

We’ve obtained to unpack that insane marching band scene. Did that come about due to the viewers response to your Music Dance Expertise strikes from Season 1? How lengthy did it take to be taught the sequence?

I didn’t need to do it. And once I noticed that it was a risk, I mentioned to a few the creators, “I simply don’t need Milchick dancing in each single season.” As a result of I used to be involved that we had been going to attempt to replicate the Music Dance Expertise. You possibly can’t do this. It’s iconic, and it was particular for what it was. However then Ben instructed me he was bringing in a marching band. I went to 2 HBCUs, and one in every of them was Jackson State College, and so they housed the Sonic Increase of the South, among the finest marching bands within the nation, and I might watch them throughout my undergrad years with such awe and amazement within the athleticism, the creativity and the fervour that these musicians and dancers served with.

So when Ben instructed me there was a marching band coming in, I mentioned, “OK, maintain on. What sort of marching band? Navy fashion, or is it HBCU fashion? He mentioned he wasn’t certain in the intervening time. I requested him, “How did you need me to take part? Did you need me to be the band director, or did you need me to be the drum main?” And I mentioned to myself, if that is going to be HBCU fashion, like Jackson State College, I’m gonna be the drum main.

It was a lot enjoyable. And I’ve to provide credit score to Ty and Teddy and Tyrone, who had been the choreographers and the organizers of Choreography and Merriment, basically bringing all these musicians and dancers collectively on this area to show the choreography and get the strikes proper. It was epic. We had a lot enjoyable, I believe we filmed that sequence over a few weeks, and that features the rehearsals that we had on my on our days off, and ensuring that we had every thing that we have to make this totally unbelievable. I had a good time bonding with the band.

Proper earlier than that second, you carry out an odd comedy routine with an animatronic Kier. It felt just like the characters had been utilizing a script at first, however after Kier insults Milchick’s vocabulary, it appeared he snapped, ribbing Kier proper again. What’s the reality behind that second?

It was a scripted second, so far as the jokes to start with, however then shit simply obtained actual. Once more, this man has been holding onto a lot, and issues have simply been compacted for him. It additionally goes again to “devour feculence.” I believe that was not a deliberate second. It simply got here out, mon-o-syl-a-bic-ally. I believe we’re seeing the remnants of what’s occurring because the facade of Milchick begins to crack somewhat bit. The determine, the person, the parable, the legend, is correct right here, and he’s doing the exact same factor that he has been chastised for thus lengthy, policing his language. He’s standing as much as that.

If we return to Choreography and Merriment, I believe there’s one thing concerning the presentation of these songs. “The Kier Hymn” is finished very historically, very by the guide. However then you’ve got this different quantity, “The Ballad of Ambrose and Gunnell,” and we see Milchick get down. I believe that’s by design. We’re discovering ways in which Milchick is infusing his likeness, his character, his historical past, into the world of Lumon: by means of the leather-based jacket, by means of the ORTBO outfit and the Choreography and Merriment quantity.

Do you consider Milchick has it in him to face as much as Lumon as soon as and for all?

I believe we now have a lot extra to mine earlier than we’re in a position to make that call. We speak about how Lumon could be very cultish, I relate that to so most of the cults which have existed and that also exist as we speak. So most of the individuals which were part of these cults have been brainwashed and indoctrinated, and it’s not straightforward to stroll away. Some individuals won’t ever go away. Does he have it in him? I don’t know. However we have to know extra about who this man is, for us to determine the place he’s headed.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

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