Tramell Tillman made history at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, becoming the first Black actor to win outstanding supporting actor in a drama series. The 40-year-old was recognized for his captivating turn as Seth Milchick in Apple TV+’s Severance, a role that turned him into one of the show’s breakout stars.
As Milchick, Tillman infused an unnerving cheerfulness into Lumon Industries’ macrodata refinement supervisor, a character who became increasingly central in Season 2. His hypnotic dance with a marching band in the finale cemented Milchick as both comic relief and a sinister presence — a balance that earned Tillman his first Emmy nomination and win.
Onstage, the actor grew emotional as he acknowledged his mother, who joined him as his date for the evening. “My first acting coach was tough, y’all, but all great mothers are,” Tillman said. “This is for you. I am full, I am humbled, I am honored.”
Tillman’s win came in one of the night’s most competitive categories, where he triumphed over his co-stars Zach Cherry and John Turturro, three nominees from HBO’s The White Lotus — Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, and Sam Rockwell — and James Marsden of Hulu’s Paradise.
His victory also marks a milestone for the Emmys, filling one of the last gaps in representation across the acting categories. Tillman joins the company of Viola Davis, who became the first Black woman to win lead actress in a drama in 2015, and Billy Porter, the first openly gay Black man to win a lead acting award in 2019. With this historic achievement, Tillman now extends that legacy to supporting actor in a drama.