Tramell Tillman became the first Black man to win an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for his role in Apple TV+’s Severance.
Backstage Sunday, Tillman paid tribute to Black actors who inspired him, including the late Andre Braugher and Michael K. Williams. He also thanked his mother, saying she “was there for me when no one else was and when no one else could be.”
Tillman’s win contributed to Severance’s total of eight Emmy awards, out of 27 nominations this year. Britt Lower won best lead actress in a drama for the show, which revolves around employees whose memories are surgically split between work and personal life.
Tillman plays Seth Milchick, a floor manager and key antagonist loyal to the company, Lumon. He said the character’s Blackness was central to the storyline, exploring “how race folds into the world of Lumon” and portraying Milchick as aware of his identity in a mostly white workplace.
Originally a medical student, Tillman pursued acting despite warnings of limited prospects. “I was inspired by classmates pursuing their passions, and I said, ‘If they can do that, why can’t I do what I’m passionate about?’” he said.