Key Takeaways
- Tramell Tillman became the first Black man to win Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the 2025 Emmys.
- His portrayal of Seth Milchick in “Severance” earned critical acclaim and industry recognition.
- The win highlights a decades-long gap in Emmy history, underscoring the need for broader representation in drama categories.
Tramell Tillman just made history at the 2025 Emmy Awards. The actor became the first Black man to win outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for his role as Seth Milchick on Apple TV+’s “Severance.” His win makes him the first Black openly gay man to snag the award as well.
According to reports, this was the only acting category left in the Emmy’s 77-year history without a Black winner. Tillman joins a trailblazing lineage of stars like Viola Davis, the first Black woman to win lead actress in a drama in 2015 for “How to Get Away with Murder,” and Billy Porter, the first openly gay Black man to win lead actor in a drama for “Pose” in 2019.
Back in 2022, “Severance” scored 14 Emmy nominations, but Tillman didn’t get a nod. Fast forward to this year and the series exploded with 27 nominations, putting it at the top of the pack.
During his acceptance speech, Tillman said, “You remember what you want to remember. You make time for what you want to make time for, do the work, show up, and most importantly, for the love of God, don’t embarrass me in public.”
He also thanked his mother directly. “My first acting coach was tough, y’all, but all great mothers are. Mama, you were there for me when no one else was and no one else would show up,” the 40-year-old continued. “Your loving kindness stays with me, and this is for you. Thank you to the Academy. I am full. I am humbled. I am honored. And as my mama would say, ‘look at God.’”
Inside his role as Seth Milchick
Tillman’s Seth Milchick is the unnervingly cheerful floor manager of Lumon Industries’ “severed” workplace. His hypnotic, almost too-perfect demeanor masks the show’s darkest secrets, making him one of the most talked-about characters on TV. His win over co-stars Zach Cherry and John Turturro, as well as actors from hit shows like “The White Lotus” and “Paradise,” cements his breakout performance as one of the standout moments of the year.