Adam Scott is showing his incredible versatility in the Apple TV series, Severance. The show is definitely worth the watch, receiving huge praise, along with Emmy buzz. A major reason for its success has to do with Ben Stiller and his work behind the camera.We'll take a look at his relationship with Adam Scott behind the scenes of Severance and how he requested the actor years before the concept saw the light of day.
Adam Scott And Severance Received Emmy Nominations And Major Buzz
Severance is a unique concept unlike anything fans have seen. Ben Stiller took a work place environment, which is usually used for comedy, and turned into quite the thriller.
The Apple TV series is clearly a success, with a second season confirmed and looming. Although he didn't win and neither did the show, Scott was thrilled about getting the Emmy nod, along with the series getting major recognition.
“I’m still sort of absorbing it, the shock of it,” Scott told IndieWire following his nomination announcement.
"I was not expecting it and couldn’t be more pleasantly and delightfully surprised — that sounds a little whimsical, but I am really just so, so happy for the show and Dan and Patricia and John and Chris — all the actors because they all made this show what it is, everybody that was nominated and the show as a whole.”
As it turns out, although the series might seem new to fans, that is far from the cast behind the scenes. In fact, Ben Stiller revealed with Collider that he first saw the script five years ago in 2017.
Ben Stiller Called Adam Scott In 2017 Right After He First Read The Severance Script
When he first saw the script, Ben Stiller knew it was magic, especially given how different the concept was. Speaking alongside Collider, Ben revealed he was drawn in very early on.
"Dan Erickson came up with this script, and he had not been produced as a writer and came through our doors, and I was immediately taken by the tone and sort of the influences in it that felt very original, but also familiar and something I hadn't seen before in terms of just the world of this show and the concept, the very simple concept that he came up with."
Following his interest in the script, came a certain phone call to Adam Scott.
"Really, it's been like, I think maybe five years since, or more. I forget when I first called you, Adam. Because I read it, and I called Adam up immediately too. Because he was the first person I thought of to be Mark."
In the same interview with Collider, Adam Scott remembered exactly where he was after hearing from Ben, out in the snow at Sundance in January of 2017. Like Stiller, Scott recalls constantly thinking about the script and how great it was.
"From the moment Ben kind of gave me the big idea of the show, while I was standing in the snow in 2017, I just couldn't stop thinking about it because it's just such a great idea."
"It's one of those ideas you can't believe no one's explored before. And then a couple years later, I actually got to read a script. And it's just exactly the kind of thing that I like to watch as an audience member."
Scott has delivered in the role, proving Stiller to be correct.
Adam Scott Depended On Ben Stiller Completely While Prepping For The Role
Preparing for such a role was a totally different experience for Adam Scott, especially given the amount of depth involved in the character.
Speaking with Indie Wire, the actor confirmed that the only way it was going to work is if he gave complete control to Ben Stiller and his vision.
"With Ben, I realized early on when we were making the show that I was just going to need to surrender all of that and depend on him completely. I wasn’t gonna be able to finish the job unless I went completely underwater with it. I needed to let him be that eye on the performance, and Aoife McArdle, who directed three of the episodes."
The nine episodes are available now on Apple TV and clearly, the sci-fi series is worth the watch.