And the Emmy goes to — Tramell Tillman. The UT alumnus scored a historic win at the 2025 Emmy Awards. He received the Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for his role as Seth Milchick in the Apple TV+ show “Severance,” becoming the first Black man + first openly gay man to earn the distinction.
Tillman graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville’s MFA acting program in 2014. As a student, he was quickly recognized as a natural actor and was named a “UT Student to Watch.” However, Tillman didn’t start his career in acting.
After graduating from high school, Tillman enrolled in a pre-med program. He later transferred to Jackson State University in Mississippi where he received a bachelor’s of science in mass communications.
Since graduating from UT, Tillman has accumulated credits in theater productions, on TV, and in movies. In 2018, he received his first main TV role in AMC’s “Dietland,” and he later worked alongside Tom Cruise in “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.”
UT continues to give Tillman credit. The university named him the “2022 Alumni Promise Award” winner, and he maintains a relationship with UT’s acting programs. Tillman has met with students, and he recently returned to watch a production of “The Giver.”
Tillman shows no signs of slowing down. He has announced noteworthy future projects, including a third season of “Severance.” He will also join the Marvel Universe with a role in the upcoming film “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
