'I just wanted to show them what I would do': Britt Lower breaks down her self-tape that won her the role in Severance

Time of India

19 hours ago

Before Severance became one of television's most gripping series, it was just a script passed around in the industry. And when Britt Lower received it, she didn't see a golden ticket—just a slim shot at something she deeply connected with. Despite her doubts, she rolled the dice. The decision would not only reshape her career, but it would also put her at the heart of one of Apple TV+'s most acclaimed shows.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Britt Lower opened up about the demanding audition process that ultimately showcased exactly why she was the perfect fit for the role.
What role did Britt Lower play in Severance?
Lower plays Helly R., a new hire at Lumon Industries who wakes up in a fluorescent-lit conference room with no memory of who she is or how she got there. The twist? Her 'innie' — the work version of herself — is completely severed from her 'outie,' the version of her that exists in the outside world.
Helly's disorientation, rebellion, and desperate search for identity drive much of the show's emotional engine.
Portraying her meant balancing cold corporate detachment with raw human defiance. Lower's performance was unsettling and electric — and it didn't go unnoticed. She earned her first Emmy nomination, part of the show's 27-nod sweep.
Inside the audition process: How Lower landed the big role
As shared with THR, it was the summer of 2019 when Lower's agent, Jo Yao of UTA, sent her the pilot script. Along with it came a reality check: this wasn't a sure thing. 'It's a real long shot,' her agent admitted. Still, Lower was urged to submit a self-tape. She knew she had to take a risk. So she grabbed what she had — no studio, no crew—and turned her own bathroom into the set for Helly's first scene.
'It was the only room in my house with decent lighting,' she recalled. The scene called for Helly to wake up confused and frantic in a sterile office. Lower threw herself into the moment, even leaving black scuff marks from her shoes on the bathroom door. 'I don't live in that house anymore,' she said, 'but I left [those marks] for a while because they reminded me of this special time I got to be Helly for the day.'
To stand in for Mark S. (played by Adam Scott), she asked a friend to read the intercom lines. The setup was makeshift, but the performance was anything but.
Making Ben Stiller Laugh Was the First Win
The self-tape earned her a callback with the show's creators — Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller. Walking into a room with Stiller was intimidating, but Lower's goal was simple: show them what she would do if she were already on set.
'I almost treated it like the whole crew was running late, and they said, 'Just start without us,'' she said. The audition worked. She managed to make Stiller laugh — a moment she counted as a victory regardless of the outcome. 'That was the win,' she told THR.
She left the room feeling like she had done everything she could. She was ready to walk away from the role if it wasn't meant to be. But not long after, the call came — Helly R. was hers.
What is Severance about?
Severance takes place in a corporate setting where employees voluntarily undergo a procedure that splits their consciousness into two: one half that only exists at work ("innie") and another that lives outside ("outie"). Neither version shares memories with the other, creating an eerie dual existence. It's a darkly imaginative premise that explores themes of identity, control, and the soul-crushing nature of corporate life.
The series, created by Dan Erickson and directed in part by Ben Stiller, explores deep questions about identity, autonomy, and the modern work culture. Through Helly, the audience experiences the absurd horror of life without personal context — and the desperate desire to break free from it.