For 'Severance' Star Adam Scott, Work & Life Can't Be Separated
Jan 31, 2025
auto_awesome
Adam Scott, known for his roles in Parks and Recreation and Big Little Lies, dives into the thought-provoking themes of his Apple TV+ series Severance. He discusses the emotional complexity of work-life separation and shares personal reflections on grief and creativity in a post-pandemic world. Scott highlights the joys and challenges of shifting between drama and comedy, especially through his experiences on Party Down. The conversation also touches on career-defining moments, illustrating the deep connections between personal narratives and artistic expression.
Adam Scott's character in 'Severance' illustrates the struggle between coping with loss and the imposed separation of personal and work life.
The unique filming context during the pandemic amplified themes of isolation, impacting both the production experience and the show's emotional depth.
Deep dives
Exploring Grief and Memory in 'Severance'
The character Mark S. in 'Severance' grapples with profound grief stemming from the loss of his wife in a car accident. As he navigates his new job at Lumen, a company that offers a controversial memory-severing procedure, the series prompts viewers to reconsider the boundaries of work and personal life. In the current season, hints emerge suggesting that Mark's wife may still be alive, intensifying his internal conflict and desire to escape from Lumen. This storyline reflects broader themes surrounding the processing of loss and the struggle for emotional closure.
Isolation and Production Challenges
The production of 'Severance' coincided with the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a unique filming environment marked by isolation. Adam Scott discusses the challenges faced while shooting in New York, away from his family in Los Angeles, highlighting the emotional and logistical difficulties of these unprecedented times. The sterile and eerie design of the show's sets naturally reinforces the themes of alienation and dread within the storyline, as characters navigate a cold corporate landscape. Notably, Scott's experience during filming echoed the show's themes, creating a rich context for exploring separation from work and life.
Filming with Iconic Co-stars
Scott reflects on working alongside legendary actor Christopher Walken, whose presence heightened the stakes for his performance. The collaboration with seasoned actors like Walken and John Turturro added depth and creativity to Scott's development of his character. A specific scene elicited significant pressure for Scott, as he had to deliver a vital speech in front of these accomplished actors, which he initially struggled with. A moment of encouragement from Walken after filming left a lasting impression on Scott, symbolizing the support and camaraderie that can exist among cast members.
Personal Reflections Amidst Fictional Grief
Scott connects the narrative of 'Severance' with his own personal experiences of loss, particularly after his mother's passing shortly before the pandemic struck. His reflections reveal how the profound impact of such a loss can linger and reshape one’s perspective on life and work. As the show's narrative delves into themes of processing grief, Scott articulates the difficulty of returning to 'normal' life after such an upheaval, a sentiment echoed by many during the pandemic. The intertwining of personal and character-driven narratives serves to enhance the emotional resonance of 'Severance,' making it a powerful exploration of love, memory, and the human condition.
The Apple TV+ drama series Severance is back for its second season. It's a dystopian take on work-life balance — where characters have their personal and professional lives surgically separated. He spoke with Ann Marie Baldonado in 2022 about the making of the series.
Also, Justin Chang reviews one of this year's most talked-about Oscar nominees for Best Documentary Feature, No Other Land. It was directed by a collective of two Palestinian filmmakers and two Israeli filmmakers. Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett.