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Tramell Tillman

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Tramell Tillman
Tillman at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival
Born (1985-06-17) June 17, 1985 (age 40)[1]
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Education
OccupationActor
Years active2015–present
Websitewww.tramelltillman.com

Tramell Tillman (/trəˈmɛl/ trə-MEL; born June 17, 1985)[1][2] is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Seth Milchick in the Apple TV+ series Severance (2022–present), for which he became the first Black person and the first openly gay person to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

Early life and education

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Tillman was born in Washington, D.C.,[1] on June 17, 1985.[3] His mother worked for the U.S. federal government, while his father worked for Amtrak.[4][1] Tillman is the youngest of five siblings, and was raised Baptist in Largo, Maryland.[1][5]

Tillman attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland, and graduated in 2003.[6] He was then enrolled at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans as a pre-med student with plans to become an orthopedic surgeon; however, he did not enjoy it.[4] In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Tillman's parents convinced him to transfer to Jackson State University, where he switched his major to mass communications.[7][4] He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in 2008.[4][8] In 2014, Tillman became the first African-American man to obtain a Master of Fine Arts in acting from the University of Tennessee.[4]

Career

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Tillman has said that he has always admired acting as an art form, and has credited his mother—who inadvertently gave him his first acting role at the age of 10, when she volunteered to appear in their church's Christmas play and needed someone to play her character's son—with inspiring him to go into acting to overcome his shyness.[9]

Tillman worked in the nonprofit sector for over a decade before pursuing acting professionally, and drew on his own experiences in corporate America for his breakthrough role as Seth Milchick in the sci-fi thriller series Severance (2022–present).[10] He referred to Milchick as "an amalgamation of colleagues, of former bosses, [and] of caricatures of people" who he worked with during that time.[11] Tillman's performance, especially during the second season, received widespread critical acclaim.[12][13] In September 2025, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first Black person and the first openly gay person to win the award.[14] He was the first openly gay Black person to be nominated for it.[15]

In August 2025, Tillman joined the cast of the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Brand New Day.[16]

Personal life

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Tillman has lived in New York City since 2014.[1] He is gay.[1][17]

Acting credits

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2024 Barron's Cove Felix
Sweethearts Coach Reese
2025 Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Captain Jack Bledsoe
2026 Spider-Man: Brand New Day † TBA Filming
2027 Good Sex † TBA Post-production
TBA Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother † TBA Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2015 Difficult People Good Samaritan Episode: "Devil's Three-Way"
2018 Dietland Steven 10 episodes
2019 Elementary Detective Ocasio Episode: "Miss Understood"
Godfather of Harlem Bobby Robinson 6 episodes
2020 Hunters Detective Sommers 2 episodes
2022–present Severance Seth Milchick 19 episodes
2024 Hit-Monkey Double-Tap (voice) 7 episodes

Theater

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Year Title Role Venue Notes
2015 'Tis Pity She's A Whore Grimaldi Red Bull Theatre New York City
Sweat Chris Oregon Shakespeare Festival Regional/Equity
2017 All The Roads Home Michael/Phoenix/Trace Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Regional/Equity
2018 Carmen Jones Sergeant Brown Classic Stage Company Off-Broadway
2019 The Great Society Bob Moses / Various Characters Lincoln Center Theatre Broadway
2022 Good Night, Oscar Alvin Finney Goodman Theatre Chicago
2024 Shit. Meet. Fan. Logan MCC Theater Off-Broadway

Accolades

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2022
 Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series Severance Nominated [18]
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated [19]
2025
 Astra TV Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
Critics' Choice Super Awards Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie Nominated
Dorian Awards Best Supporting TV Performance — Drama Won [20]
Pan African Film and Arts Festival Awards Rising Star Award Won [21]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Won
Television Critics Association Awards Individual Achievement in Drama Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Vujić, Katja (January 17, 2025). "Tramell Tillman Is in Bloom". The Cut. Archived from the original on March 31, 2025. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  2. ^ Barna, Ben (March 21, 2025). ""I'm Probably Clinically Insane": Meet Tramell Tillman, the Man Behind Severance's Mr. Milchick". Interview Magazine. Archived from the original on April 12, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  3. ^ Tillman, Tramell [@tramell.tillman]; (June 17, 2025). "Y'all… 40… what?!??". Retrieved June 18, 2025 – via Instagram.
  4. ^ a b c d e Samson, Pete (March 10, 2022). "Severance Star Tramell Tillman Talks Work/Life Balance". Mr Feelgood. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  5. ^ Bahr, Sarah (February 15, 2025). "Tramell Tillman of 'Severance' Gives Himself a Performance Review". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 29, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  6. ^ "Freeman's Barber Shop Scholarship Fund". Freeman’s Barber Shop. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  7. ^ Brown, Marquita (August 28, 2010). "Freedom School praised by ed secretary". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 11. Archived from the original on March 24, 2025. Retrieved February 19, 2025. Tramell Tillman said he started college at Xavier University in New Orleans, but transferred to JSU at his parents' request after Hurricane Katrina.
  8. ^ Lucas, Sherry (January 24, 2020). "Jackson State grads debut on Broadway: 'You don't go higher in the theatrical world'". Mississippi Today. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  9. ^ Davenport, Emily (February 15, 2022). "Tramell Tillman talks role in new AppleTV+ thriller 'Severance' directed by Ben Stiller". amNewYork. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  10. ^ Maas, Jennifer (February 25, 2022). "'Severance' Actor Tramell Tillman Breaks Down the Break Room". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on April 14, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  11. ^ Campbell, Nakeisha (December 20, 2024). "'Severance' Star Tramell Tillman Teases What Fans Can Expect in Season 2 & More". purewow.com. PureWow.
  12. ^ Romano, Evan (January 24, 2025). "Tramell Tillman Is the Creepy Standout of Severance Season 2". Men's Health. Archived from the original on January 24, 2025. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  13. ^ Nemetz, Dave (January 25, 2025). "Performer of the Week: Tramell Tillman". TVLine. Archived from the original on September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  14. ^ Gularte, Alejandra (September 14, 2025). "Lumon Now Has to Answer to an Emmy Winner". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  15. ^ Davis, Clayton (August 13, 2025). "Tramell Tillman on His Emotional Coming Out Story, 'Severance' Delays and Acting With Tom Cruise the Day After He Got 'Mission: Impossible' Script".
  16. ^ Stephan, Katcy (August 20, 2025). "Tramell Tillman Joins Spider-Man: Brand New Day (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on August 22, 2025. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  17. ^ Bull, Megan (January 28, 2025). "Severance star Tramell Tillman's life away from the cameras". HELLO!. Archived from the original on March 31, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  18. ^ Bergeson, Samantha; Lattanzio, Ryan (December 13, 2022). "'Severance,' 'Pachinko,' 'The Rehearsal' Among Independent Spirit Award TV Nominees: Full List". IndieWire. Archived from the original on November 30, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  19. ^ Hipes, Patrick (January 11, 2023). "SAG Awards Nominations: The Complete List". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  20. ^ "2025 Dorian Awards". The Dorian Awards. GALECA The Society of LGBTQ+ Entertainment Critics. January 11, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  21. ^ ""Severance" Actor Tramell Tillman Honored with Pan African Film & Arts Festival's "Rising Star Award" At The 2025 Filmmaker Awards Brunch Presented By Apple TV+" (PDF) (Press release). Los Angeles, CA: Pan African Film and Arts Festival. February 18, 2025. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 13, 2025. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
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