Success isn’t something that’s new for Adam Scott, an actor who’s been praised for his work on everything from “Parks and Recreation” to “Party Down.” But the sheer volume of critical praise and fan adoration that “Severance” has received is.
Not only did the second season of the Apple TV+ thriller earn Scott a much deserved nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, but “Severance” itself was the clear leader of Tuesday’s nominations. Altogether, the drama was nominated for 27 awards, the most of any one series.
“Over the 30 years or so that I’ve been in show business, I’ve kind of trained myself to stay in a default position of expecting either disappointment or nothing happening,” Scott told TheWrap on Tuesday. “I think it’s the only way to keep your head about you in show business, so I try to keep blinders on, focus on work and not think about too much stuff that could end up like pushing you into a cul-de-sac of disappointment. So something like this is a pure delight. It’s just feels fantastic. It’s a huge, huge honor.”
Throughout much of his career, Scott has lived in the throes of being underrated.
“Usually [I’m in] stuff that’s appreciated like seven years after it goes away,” Scott joked.
That’s partially why it feels “bizarre” to be part of “Severance” now. Based on its wild premise and bold swings, “Severance” feels exactly like the type of show that’s destined to be a cult hit, and yet it’s anything but. Not only is the drama leading the Emmys race, but it was the fifth most watched streaming original in the first half of 2025, clocking in roughly 9.28 billion minutes watching, according to Nielsen. It was also the most watched Apple TV+ original in the first six months of the year.
“It’s a new feeling. I think we all you know — even Ben [Stiller], who’s been in many hits over the years — this is an entirely new sensation,” Scott said. “It feels really wonderful to have something that you genuinely feel is special, that you want to share with as many people as possible. To be in a position where you feel like it’s being absorbed and appreciated by as many people as possible is really terrific. And having Apple really get the show out in the world in the right way is a huge part of that.”
Scott’s journey to “Severance” marks a return of sorts for the actor who started his career doing more dramatic work. After his breakout role in “Step Brothers” which paved his way to the NBC hit “Parks and Recreation,” Scott wanted to move outside the world of comedy, which led to him starring in “Big Little Lies.”
“It was hard to be thought of in that way, to kind of turn it around and even be considered for anything [dramatic]. Really, auditioning for and fighting for a role in ‘Big Little Lies’ helped a lot. I think that assisted in me being even considered for for ‘Severance,’” Scott said. Though he’s in a dramatic show, Scott credits his comedic roots for helping him with “absolutely everything.”
“It’s not only that comedy is really hard, but the comedy community is really close-knit and really wonderful,” Scott said.
As for his own “Severance” community, Scott is pleased that so many of his castmembers received nominations this year though he is disappointed that Dichen Lachman was snubbed.
“Just knowing how richly deserved it is for Britt [Lower], Tramell [Tillman], Patricia [Arquette], John [Turturro], Zach [Cherry] and everybody, how hard everyone works and how incredible they all are, that really just means so much,” Scott said. “Seeing almost everyone get recognized has been a really, really gratifying part of a great morning.”
