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Tramell Tillman can always count on the support of his mother.
After giving a special shout-out to his mom while accepting the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and becoming the first Black man to win in the category at the 2025 Emmys, the Severance star, 40, revealed in the press room that his mom was “very proud” of his win.
“Her support means everything to me,” he shared. “I meant it, but I said that she was there for me when no one else was. No one else could be, and there’s nothing like a mother’s love.”
He noted that his mother has always been “supportive” of him over the years.
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Tillman told Extra backstage that he and his mother were “beaming from ear to ear,” adding that they’re “both kind of at a loss for words” following the win.
The actor’s mother said: “It is so overwhelming. And I’m just so proud. So very proud of my son. And I tell you, he worked hard. This is the result.”
“I think when you do things that you enjoy, it’s a passion for him and it’s not work, and he has great skills in his craft,” she added. “So, I’m glad that he got credit for it.”
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty; CBS
Her pride could be seen when Tillman took the stage to receive the honor during the awards ceremony.
“‘You remember what you want you 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,'” Tillman, 40, said as the camera panned to his mom, holding back tears as she watched from the audience. “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. 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, Oh! Look at God!”
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With the win, Tillman became the first Black man to win in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category.
“I’m truly honored,” he told the outlet of the honor. “It almost doesn’t feel real. You know, I share this category with some amazing artists, and I keep thinking about the Black artists that have gone before me, that blazed trails for me, you know? People like Ossie Davis and Andre Braugher and Giancarlo Esposito and Jeffrey Wright. I love their work … It’s just an honor to be included among greatness.”
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Prior to the show, Tillman said on Live From E!: 2025 Emmys that it was “a dream” to take his mother to the show.
“She’s the reason that I’m here in so many ways, and to be able to have this moment — to bring her here—I think it’s such a lesson,” he shared.
“She now sees what I do and understands, ‘Oh, when you’re on a press tour, this is what a press tour looks like,” he added.
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