Tramell Tillman's Journey: From Severance's Quiet Presence to Mission: Impossible's Commanding Star

Years ago, when actor Tramell Tillman landed his part as the mysteriously quiet Seth Milchik on the acclaimed Apple TV+ show Severance, director Ben Stiller wanted to meet him. Stiller took Tillman to a well-known brasserie on the Upper West Side. "He wanted to meet me, I guess, to make sure that I wasn’t a monster," Tillman joked. Stiller told him it was a place where many famous people from his time would hang out. Tillman saw Matt Dillon at a table across from him. "I was just like, Oh, so he wasn’t lying. This is, like, for real," he said. Tillman has gone back many times since. He finds it a relaxing, quiet spot.

Today, Tillman is in a very different place in his career than when he first met Stiller. Severance recently aired its second season. Tillman had a much bigger role in it than in season one. He has rightly become a fan favorite. This puts him in a good spot for an Emmy. Plus, the actor has a significant part in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. This is the last movie in a long-running action series. When he first visited that brasserie, Tillman might have been looking at Matt Dillon. Now, when Tillman walks in, heads turn for him.

He has noticed this change. After a quick chat about our travel to the restaurant, Tillman and I talked about New York real estate. The actor has lived in the same spot "uptown, in the Heights" since 2020. He is looking for a new apartment before his lease ends in July. He does not really want to move. However, "there are a lot more people starting to recognize me. It’s bringing a lot of attention and I prefer to be low-key," he explained. It is clear that the sudden public attention has not changed him. He keeps an easy manner. He talks a lot and laughs quickly. He is very polite. When a waitress fills our water, he thanks them and shows his bright smile.

Tramell Tillman's Unique Screen Presence and His Approach to Playing Complex Characters

How He Brings Depth to Roles Like Milchick and Captain Bledsoe With His Distinct Style

It is easy to see what director Christopher McQuarrie saw in Tramell Tillman. Tillman has a truly distinct presence on screen. He delivers his lines in a smooth voice. It is somehow both steady and full of life. His role as Milchik in Severance makes you wonder what the character is truly thinking. Tillman's Captain Bledsoe in Mission: Impossible speaks with a knowing hint. He makes words like "decompression chamber" sound almost tempting. When he tells Agent Hunt, "Mister, if you want to poke the bear, you’ve come to the right man," the audience in my theater cheered and clapped loudly. Watching it, I could hardly believe this was his first big role in a movie. As McQuarrie noted, "One of the best and rarest thrills in this business is watching an actor become a movie star in real-time."

In Severance season one, Milchick’s race was not a main topic. But season two really brings his Blackness to the front. It makes him deal with what it means to serve a company like Lumon, which has white ideals. In one affecting scene, Milchick is "gifted" a portrait of Lumon Industries founder Kier Eagan. Everyone in the painting has been made Black. We are not told why this is done. Did the mysterious Board think this would make Milchick feel more included? Or did they know it would make him uncomfortable? Many of these story lines came from conversations between Tillman Stiller and creator Dan Erickson. Tillman always asked why his character was Black if it was not part of the script. This curiosity led to ongoing talks. When the idea of the blackface paintings came up, Stiller and Erickson asked for his thoughts. Tillman wanted to know what story they were trying to tell. They eventually agreed on how Milchick would react. "We see a bit of a crack on the surface but we still don’t know exactly where he is."

Tillman keeps returning to a conversation he had during his difficult time at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. When he was holding in the everyday rude comments and bigger acts of hate he faced outside of school he was told by the head of acting, "Put it in the work. If you can’t verbalize it, put it in the work." That advice was in his mind during one of the most satisfying moments of the season. Milchick had been told off for using long words and fancy phrases. For example, saying "I am agog" or "eradicate from essence your childish folly." After finally getting fed up with one of his main tormentors, executive Mr. Drummond, he hisses at the man to "devour feculence." Tillman lets out all that stored-up anger in this scene. He almost spits out the words. Tillman was happy with this. "This was the first time that Milchik stood up for himself. He has been taking blow after blow after blow," he said. "As an actor, I feel that we should be advocates for our characters, so when I saw ‘devour feculence’ [printed in the script], I said, ‘That’s it. You hit it. Get off my boy. Give him respect!’"

Tramell Tillman's Path to Acting and His Personal Life Off-Screen

How His Personal Experiences Shaped His Career And His Approach to Authenticity

Being a "movie star" was not something Tillman thought about for a long time. He grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He was the youngest of six children. However, he often felt responsible for everyone else. He played sports as a kid. He spent a lot of time admiring his teammates. He was very involved in his church. When he found acting, by playing his mother’s son in a church Christmas play, he quickly saw it as a way to escape. He explained, "There was a lot of trauma that I endured as a child, and acting allowed me to put all that drama aside and just be somebody else." Even now, he sees acting that way.

He recalls a significant experience during a production of A Christmas Carol. He had to perform on the same day as the awful Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. He noticed how he and his fellow actors pushed through their sadness to do the show. He also saw how acting itself became a way for everyone to deal with their grief. Something changed for him that night. "I thought to myself, This is the power of theater. This is the power of storytelling, to be able to bring people together in a moment in time and to laugh together, to cry together, to mourn, to celebrate, to learn."

Still, it took some time for Tillman to fully chase acting. After high school, he went to Xavier University as a pre-med student. He found it boring. He transferred to Jackson State and switched to Communications. He then worked in advertising and nonprofit management for a few years. It was a talk with Dr. Mark G. Henderson, the Jackson State theater department chair, that finally opened his eyes to his real passion. Tillman says now, "He knew I was unhappy because I carried it." So Henderson asked, "What is the one thing that, regardless of pay, regardless of where you are, you would want to do?" Tillman answered, "Performing," and Henderson said, "That’s what you need to do."

In 2011, Tillman went to the University of Tennessee Knoxville. This was one of the first times the actor was in a mostly white place. "I get to Knoxville and I am a speck of pepper," he remembered. These were not just any white people. These were deep-South white people. Tillman called them "Confederate flag-waving, old-school ‘good ole boy’" white people. When he graduated three years later, he was the first Black man to do so. He said, "You would think it’s a badge of honor, but I get why [the university] doesn’t really talk about it too much, because it’s embarrassing." He felt alone even with support from teachers and classmates. He remembers an incident when Trayvon Martin was killed. He was in a play and part of his costume was a hoodie. As he walked through the theater, he felt an uncomfortable shift in the room. People called him a "hoodlum." They told the usher to "get him out of this theater." He said these people literally thought he was going to rob the place. It was a frightening experience. "When I got on stage and told everyone to get up to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, people were grabbing their purses."

His feelings about this time are mixed. He is glad that "ever since then, they’ve had Black people come through pretty much every year." But it also made his grad school experience less enjoyable. He sighs, "It’s always hard when you’re the first because you’re dealing with the mistakes, you hold onto the disappointment, and you feel like you’re carrying the mantle for every Black man that hasn’t had the opportunity to be part of this program." He felt a lot of responsibility to teach people how to not be racist. He said, "I was like, ‘I just came to dance, alright? I’m just trying to get my degree and learn!’"

What's Next for Tramell Tillman and His Vision for His Acting Career

His Future Goals, Including A Desire for More Lighthearted Roles And A Focus On His Craft

Tillman is passionate about playing queer roles. He was careful about how characters were presented. He wanted to avoid old stereotypes. He remembers watching shows as a kid where gay Black characters were just jokes. He never wants his characters to be seen as a joke. He wants them to be human, complex and many-sided. He stresses that there is nothing wrong with a flamboyant gay Black man. If that were him, he would embrace it. He respects those men. But that is not who he is. He wants to give depth to the characters he plays. He really enjoyed playing Coach Reese in HBO Max’s teen rom-com Sweethearts. "He was different. You didn’t expect this man to be coaching football and be queer and be in a healthy relationship. It was just very pure."

Tillman is still single, which he mentions without being asked. He says it is not from lack of trying. He feels many parts of queer life do not match his personality. For example, he has been sober since before the pandemic. "Bad time to stop drinking, I’m telling you," he jokes. He also believes in monogamy. He said, "I don’t have a problem with people who are open. I respect that. But for me, I really believe in monogamy. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. I don’t think it’s antiquated. I don’t think it’s anti-queer. I think it’s a choice. It’s also found in nature. There are animals that are!" He admits that some friends say this is a "middle America" desire. This has made him feel a bit old-fashioned in dating. He likes to get to know someone first before getting physical. He said, "I just love developing really strong relationships with people. I love people. So, oftentimes, I sense that I get teased because I feel [differently]."

It is amusing to hear him talk about being unlucky in love. Many people find him very attractive. He says he is humbled by the attention. "Our fans are some of the best in the world. They’re smart. They’re passionate. So I’m glad that they’re appreciating and loving the work that we’re doing." He hopes to do a "Black noir" film, a bit edgy. He also wants to show his singing skills in a musical. He hopes to do "more light stuff." A full comedy is at the top of his list. He is also interested in a fun murder mystery. Theater is still special to him. He is staying open to opportunities.

Tillman wants to follow paths similar to Jeffrey Wright, David Oyelowo, and Denzel Washington. He loves their artistry and storytelling. He looks up to Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier. He loves their relationship, their style, and how they were involved in the community. He acknowledges that their politics were of their time. But their dignity, grace, strength, and contributions are unmatched. Tillman is turning 40 soon. He is excited about this next decade. He calls it his "grown man era." He plans to be "unbothered, highly moisturized, hydrated, and living my best life." He believes his best years are ahead. He is excited about the adventures, projects, and love affairs coming. He has made his peace with past choices. "Life’s too short. Stress makes you older."