Tramell Tillman and Patricia Arquette are back to their cryptic shenanigans in Milchick works solely as a supervisor while Cobel is the head of the severed floor's operations, overseeing all of Lumon's severed employees.
Severance represents Tillman's biggest role to date. The 39-year-old actor has credits in film and television dating back to 2015, but he had not booked a series regular gig until landing the role of Mr. Milchick on this Ben Stiller-directed program. Tillman's momentum is set to carry over to the big screen later this year when he appears in when he appears in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning. Arquette's résumé dates back decades, as she has had starring roles in critically acclaimed projects including True Romance, Holes, and Boyhood.
Every Confirmed Lumon Department In Severance & What They Do
Apple TV+'s Severance has many mysteries surrounding Lumon Industries, its several departments, and what the employees do in each department.
Ahead of Severance Season 2's January 17 premiere on Apple TV+, ScreenRant spoke with Tillman and Arquette to discuss Milchick's loyalty to Lumon, his tonal shifts throughout the company, Cobel's notable first name, her obsession with seeing Adam Scott's Mark S's success within Lumon's overarching goal, and the distinctions between the Lumon today compared to its founders.
Why Is Tramell Tillman's Mr. Milchick So Loyal To Lumon?
"I believe that he's comfortable in not knowing and accepting..."
ScreenRant: Milchick is extremely loyal to Lumon. Is that loyalty blind or do you think he genuinely believes in some of the practices that the company is producing?
Tramell Tillman: Well, and this is my interpretation, I truly believe it's a little bit of both. I think the position that he's in, there's information that he is privy to, and in most corporate structures, you don't know everything there is to know. So what he does know about Lumon's history, he has invested in it, he believes wholeheartedly. And regarding those things that he does not know, I believe that he's comfortable in not knowing and accepting, not knowing and trusting, leaning into that blind faith that, 'This is what's best and I will know when I'm supposed to know.'
Patricia Arquette: And that's the danger of the world.
Tramell Tillman: There it is.
Patricia Arquette: Indoctrination is a very powerful thing.
Patricia Arquette's Ms. Cobel Has A Notable First Name
"I think you'll understand it more when you understand her origin story..."
Patricia, your character's first name is Harmony. Hearing that out loud more often in Season 2, I just think it's such an interesting choice for a name considering how your character operates. I want to ask you, what does the name Harmony mean to you?
Patricia Arquette: To me, it's like one of the old principles of Kier. It's like a very old-fashioned word, an old-fashioned sentiment, and I think without giving away too much, I think you'll understand it more when you understand her origin story.
Mr. Milchick Taps Into Two Personas Within Lumon
"There's a different voice when he's talking to his superiors..."
Milchick uses a lot of different tones of voice in Season 2. Some of it feels instinctual when he is trying to present himself to his employees. Others feel like we're showing a little bit more humanity to the man behind the man in charge. When you're distinguishing the different tones of voice, I'm just curious where you're coming up with that kind of stuff.
Tramell Tillman: I think it's all connected to purpose. It's the intention, right? There is a voice that he uses with his innies that's very calm and light and gentle to establish trust and there's a different voice when he's talking to his superiors, when he's communicating with Cobel. It may be more grounded, more deeper. There's a Lumon speech and a Lumon speak that exists and he's able to go between these worlds.
Patricia Arquette: I think it's interesting too, because everybody has a mommy or daddy issue. These two characters are kind of playing out something that's subconsciously triggering these mommy and daddy issues.
Why Is Ms. Cobel So Obsessed With Mark S?
"She is driven for a purpose to fulfill the greatness of Kier..."
Patricia, your character is so driven to achieving Lumon's motive, but also seems so driven to seeing through Mark S and making sure that he, in particular, succeeds. What's that balance? What is that relationship between achieving Lumon's mission but also achieving Mark's personal success?
Patricia Arquette: I actually see a little bit of a division between the Lumon vision and the Kier vision. Harmony is really beholden to Kier's vision and the future of Kier's vision, and I don't think she particularly cares for the new guard at Lumon. She is driven for a purpose to fulfill the greatness of Kier and that puts her at odds with the power, the powers that be at this moment. So she's having a lot of conflict.
About Severance Season 2
In “Severance,” Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure, which surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work… and of himself. In Season 2, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.
“Severance” is executive produced by Ben Stiller, who also directs five episodes this season in addition to directors Uta Bresiewitz, Sam Donovan and Jessica Lee Gagné. The series is written, created and executive produced by Dan Erickson. “Severance” season two is also executive produced by John Lesher, Jackie Cohn, Mark Friedman, Beau Willimon, Jordan Tappis, Sam Donovan, Caroline Baron, Richard Schwartz, Nicholas Weinstock. In addition to starring, Adam Scott and Patricia Arquette serve as executive producers. Fifth Season is the studio.
Check back soon for our other Severance Season 2 interviews with...
- John Turturro, Zach Cherry, & Britt Lower
- Christopher Walken
- Executive Producer Dan Erickson
Severance Season 2 premieres on January 17 on Apple TV+.
Source: ScreenRant Plus
Severance
- Release Date
- February 18, 2022
- Showrunner
- Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman
- Directors
- Ben Stiller
Cast
Mark Scout
Helly Riggs
WHERE TO WATCH
Severance is a psychological thriller series featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a "severance" procedure to separate his work and personal memories. However, as work and life personas mysteriously begin to collide, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle.
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