Tramell Tillman is first Black actor to win an Emmy for supporting actor in a drama

by

Tramell Tillman, star of the Apple TV+ series “Severance,” made history by winning the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama. He was the first Black actor to ever receive this award, and the audience gave him a standing ovation when he accepted it.

Zach Cherry received recognition for his performance as Seth Milchick, the mysterious and potentially unsettling supervisor at Lumon Industries, who took over after Harmony Cobel was abruptly dismissed. Cherry had a prominent role in the show’s second season, especially the finale, where his character famously danced while supporting a marching band at a company party celebrating the completion of the Cold Harbor file.

Tillman won in a very competitive Emmy category, beating out his “Severance” co-stars Zach Cherry and John Turturro, three actors from HBO’s “The White Lotus” (Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, and Sam Rockwell), and James Marsden from Hulu’s “Paradise.” This was Tillman’s first Emmy nomination and his first time winning.

He thanked his mother in his acceptance speech, playfully calling her his first acting coach – and saying that’s just what all good mothers are like.

You know, my mom was always my rock. There were times when I really needed someone, and honestly, she was the *only* one who showed up for me. Winning this award, or achieving this, it’s all for her. It’s my way of saying thank you for everything.

Tillman expressed his gratitude, saying he felt incredibly full, humbled, and honored. He finished his speech by lifting his trophy and quoting his mother: “Woo! Look at God.”

During an interview on The Los Angeles Times’ The Envelope podcast, Tillman explained that he initially saw Mr. Milchick as a bad guy. However, he later understood the character was actually quite nuanced and complicated.

Honestly, I don’t think it’s right to just call him a villain. It’s way too simple, and I actually love seeing people debate whether he is one or not. There’s so much more to his story, and I think we really need to dig deeper to understand what motivates him.

Read More

2025-09-15 04:01