Tillman, a native of Prince George’s County, MD has made history at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. The Severance star won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first Black man ever to win in the category. According to Variety, it was the only acting field in the Emmys’ 77-year history that had never before honored a Black performer.
Tillman, who plays Seth Milchick on Apple TV’s critically acclaimed drama Severance, grew up in Largo, Maryland. The series, directed by Ben Stiller, follows a group of office workers whose memories of their professional and personal lives have been surgically divided. Tillman’s performance as Milchick, the enigmatic middle manager at the heart of the story, has drawn wide praise from both fans and critics.
Born June 17, 1985, in Washington, D.C., Tillman was raised in Prince George’s County alongside his five older siblings. His mother worked for the U.S. government and his father for Amtrak, instilling values of hard work and perseverance. A 2003 graduate of Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Tillman initially pursued a career in medicine before pivoting toward the arts. After transferring to Jackson State University in Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he graduated summa cum laude in 2008 with a degree in mass communication.
In a past interview, Tillman credited Maryland with sparking his love for acting. “I was a shy kid. My journey to acting started in Maryland,” he told Amny. “When my mom wanted me to become more active, she encouraged me to go into acting. It was a Christmas play; I had one line and I was terrified to do it — but something clicked. The acting bug bit at that moment and ever since.”
