Tramell Tillman

Tramell Tillman is an American actor born on June 17, 1985. He is widely recognized for playing the character Seth Milchick in the Apple TV+ science-fiction thriller series Severance. In addition to his prominent television work, he was cast as Bill Metzger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe feature film Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Raised in Largo, Maryland, within a Baptist household, Tillman was born in Washington, D.C., as the youngest of five children. His mother was employed by the United States federal government, and his father worked for Amtrak. His initial exposure to acting occurred at age ten, when his mother volunteered for a church Christmas play and brought him along to portray her character's child, an experience that helped him conquer his childhood shyness.

Tillman completed his high school education at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland, graduating in 2003. He initially pursued pre-medical studies at Xavier University of Louisiana with the goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he transferred to Jackson State University at his parents' suggestion and changed his major to mass communications. He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in 2008. In 2014, he earned a Master of Fine Arts in acting from the University of Tennessee, becoming the first African-American man to receive that degree from the institution.

Prior to embarking on a full-time acting career, Tillman worked in the nonprofit sector for more than ten years. He drew upon his experiences in corporate environments and interactions with former colleagues and supervisors to shape his portrayal of Seth Milchick on Severance, which began airing in 2022. His performance, particularly in the show's second season, earned significant acclaim from critics.

In September 2025, Tillman was awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in Severance. With this honor, he made history as both the first Black individual and the first openly gay person to win in that category, having previously been the first openly gay Black nominee for the award.

In August 2025, Tillman expanded his feature film work by joining the cast of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. He has resided in New York City since 2014 and is openly gay.