Apple’s Initial Resistance to Adam Scott for Severance

Every Severance fan owes a debt of gratitude to Ben Stiller for swooping in and saving the day, ensuring that Apple didn’t miss out on having Adam Scott play the lead role of Mark Scout in our beloved show. In a recent episode of The Severance Podcast, Stiller and Scott spill the beans on the behind-the-scenes drama that almost kept Scott off the show.

It turns out that when Apple first gave the green light to Severance, they weren’t entirely sold on Scott as the leading man. In fact, a whole year went by with no progress on the show as Apple hemmed and hawed over whether Scott was the right fit. Stiller was determined to have Scott on board and made it clear that he wasn’t budging. Thankfully, Apple finally came around after seeing Scott’s audition, and the rest is history.

Scott’s performance as Mark in Severance has been nothing short of outstanding, earning him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Television Series — Drama. It just goes to show that sometimes, the biggest stars are the ones waiting to shine. Thanks to Stiller’s persistence, Apple saw the light and made the right choice for the show, much to the delight of fans everywhere.