JSU’s Tramell Tillman is joining Marvel Spider-Man team
By Simeon Gates | Originally published by Mississippi Today
Jackson State University alum Tramell Tillman, an Emmy Award winner, is joining the cast of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
It is not yet clear what role he will play. The film is set for release on July 31.
The Maryland native got his bachelor’s in mass communications from JSU, where he was involved in the MADDRAMA Performance Troupe, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., the Student Government Association and the National Association of Black Journalists.
Tillman spoke to Mississippi Today in 2020 after making his Broadway debut in “The Great Society.”
After graduating from college, he was unhappily working at a nonprofit when a conversation with Mark Henderson, founding director of MADDRAMA and chair of the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre at JSU, inspired him to pursue acting as a full-time career.
“For me, it’s been a love affair since I walked away from it, and then jumped back into it, and then walked away from it because I was scared again, or it’s hurtful,” he said back in 2020.
“But, I love what I do, and I love that I’m able to present a story for people, and they’re changed when they leave.
In a news release, Henderson praised Tramell, saying “his achievements inspire current students and validate our program’s ability to prepare artists for the highest levels of performance.”
JSU President Denise Jones Gregory said, “We are incredibly proud to see one of our own step into a role of this scale, continuing to bring his work to a global audience.”
“From his time with MADDRAMA to this moment on the big screen, his journey demonstrates what is possible when talent is paired with the training he received here and the opportunity to grow as an artist,” the Jackson State president added.
Tillman spoke at JSU’s recent spring 2026 undergraduate commencement ceremony.
Tillman is best known for his role as Seth Milchick on the television drama “Severance.” He earned a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actor for the role in 2025, becoming the first Black and first openly gay actor to win in that category. He also played Captain Jack Bledsoe in “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”
This article was originally published by Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Source: Original Article
