Severance's Tramell Tillman Confirms What We Suspected About Patricia Arquette's On-Set Behavior - Exclusive

Tramell Tillman has proven to be the breakout star of the critically acclaimed science fiction-based psychological thriller series "Severance," which is now streaming on Apple TV+.

The show follows a Lumon Industries employee named Mark (Adam Scott), who agrees to a "severance" program in which his work memories are permanently separated from his non-work memories. As the mechanical Mr. Milchick, Tillman ominously supervises the severed floor, doling out both punishment and perks at the bidding of his boss, the cold-hearted Harmony Cobel, portrayed by Patricia Arquette.

As Cobel's right-hand man, Milchick robotically follows out orders, penalizing workers by bringing them to the "break room," where he forces them to apologize over and over again — sometimes hundreds of times — until they mean it. He'll then turn around with a big smile and wheel in a catering cart full of deviled eggs so the employees can have a treat.

It's an interesting dynamic, one that leaves relative newcomer Tillman working closely with the Emmy- and Oscar-winning Arquette on the set of "Severance." What has he learned about the veteran actor? During an exclusive interview with Looper, Tillman spilled the beans about what Arquette is like when the cameras stop rolling.

When it comes to Cobel, the underhanded, unforgiving character is a little bit different than what we're used to seeing Arquette play, but that doesn't mean the former "Medium" actor loses her sense of self when stepping into the role.

"I encountered her this season as Cobel primarily, and Cobel is very sharp and strident, acerbic at times, but Patricia is so warm and funny," says Tillman. "After a take, she'll crack a joke, and she'll start laughing — and she has this infectious laugh — so I'm laughing right along with her."

During the exclusive interview, when Looper loosely referred to Arquette as a "hippie," Tillman laughed and replied, "She definitely has that vibe, right? Go with the flow, everything's going to be fine. Maternal in a way."

He added, "I didn't have enough time with her. That's how much I enjoyed working with her. She is such a lovely spirit. Very generous, warm, and supportive in every way ... We've bonded a lot during Season 1. I'm grateful to have shared space with Patricia Arquette."

All nine episodes of "Severance" Season 1 are now streaming on Apple TV+.