On the day that Sydney Cole Alexander landed her first recurring role on Severance, she fortuitously booked a Crest commercial that let her show off her “camera-ready” smile.
At the time, Alexander simply thought she was having “a great day.” But the commercial made its way to Ben Stiller — director and executive producer of the Apple TV+‘s workplace thriller — and wound up serving as inspiration for the wide, mesmerizing, somewhat eerie grin that Lumon PR rep Natalie Kalen flashes while liaising with the mysterious Board.
“My second day on set… Ben’s like, ‘Hey, Crest girl!’ And we’re laughing. He had seen the commercial, and that smile that Natalie has that’s so large and so expressive was born out of Ben Stiller having seen the Crest commercial,” the Severance star told Decider over Zoom.
When we first lay eyes on Alexander’s character, she’s in a news segment on Mark Scout’s (Adam Scott) television screen furiously defending the controversial severance procedure in wake of questions surrounding autonomy and consent. Though we’re not sure why, Natalie is a devout Lumon employee who’s gone as far as physically tackling future CEO Helena Eagan to the ground in the Season 1 finale after Helly R. (Britt Lower) — who awoke in the outie world as a result of the Overtime Contingency protocol — started spewing harmful rhetoric at a company gala.
In Season 1, Natalie flashed her pearly whites, whipped her pointer finger in the air, went on Emmy-worthy facial journeys, and parroted whatever that The Board spoke into her signature ear piece for former Severed floor manager Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette). After she fires Cobel, Season 2 finds Natalie forming a fresh dynamic with replacement manager Seth Milchick (Tramell Tillman), who attempts to connect with her on a deeper level than she’s accustomed to.
Decider was jubilant at the chance to hop on a call with Alexander and discuss everything from her audition process and standout scenes with Arquette and Tramell to Natalie and Ricken’s (Michael Chernus) Season 2 storyline, what she knows about The Board, and her hopes for Severance Season 3.
Before you read on, please know The Board finds this interview deeply troubling.
DECIDER: I’m so excited to talk about Natalie, a truly singular character on television. Before we dive in, could you share a bit about the casting process and how you found yourself on this incredible series?
SYDNEY COLE ALEXANDER: So I went through the classic audition process. I initially went in person because we were still doing auditions in the room for an initial audition. I did two scenes. I did the news scene that Mark watches when he’s seated in his living room. And then I did the first scene with Harmony Cobel. Then I heard back from my reps a little while later that I was going to have an in-person audition at the studio with Ben Stiller, which was just crazy to me, and so exciting. So I prepped for that, went in, and I used to get very nervous during my auditions. My papers would be shaking. I was waiting for that moment to happen. And it was this strange moment where I felt so calm and so serene, which usually didn’t happen to me during that time in my career. So it just felt like the stars were aligning in a weird way. That’s the only way I can describe it.
So I went in. I did my audition. Ben was so friendly, and so welcoming and warm. We did a couple of takes and adjustments and chatted a little bit, and I actually left feeling like I bombed the audition, because I didn’t have my normal nerves. [Laughs] It’s so strange. I was like “That didn’t feel right. I don’t think it went well.” And then I ended up hearing back that I was the top choice for Natalie. But because of the pandemic, everything shut down for a while. So it was many months where I was on hold for the project, and then I heard back something like four months later. Funnily enough, I got confirmation that I was going to be moving forward as Natalie. And I was so excited. And then like an hour later, I got a call that I had booked a Crest commercial.
Oh my gosh!
It was a great day. And so the first day on set was that news scene. My second day, I arrive and Ben’s like, “Hey, Crest girl!” And we’re laughing. He had seen the commercial, and that smile that Natalie has that’s so large and so expressive was born out of Ben Stiller having seen the Crest commercial.
Oh my god, that’s amazing. It’s fate! (Sidenote: Was that Lumon teeth wall also Crest inspired?!)
It’s just so funny, because I had booked them on the same day. It was just meant to be. I think that’s such a funny little thing that happened. Like, who would have imagined that this Crest commercial would somehow be related to Severance? Booked on the same day? It was such a lovely experience.
“It just felt like the stars were aligning in a weird way. That’s the only way I can describe it.”
Sydney Cole Alexander, Severance
I love that story so much. Before we dive into Natalie’s Season 2 scenes, one of the biggest unknowns from Season 1 is, of course, The Board. As the person who plays the go-between, do you know all the answers that fans seek? When you’re talking into that earpiece, is there anything on the other side — either literally or that you’re able to imagine based on what you know — or are you as in the dark as we are?
I think on a show like this, there are mysteries that we’re privy to and there are mysteries that we’re not privy to. I certainly don’t have all the answers. I do have my own idea of what’s going on. And usually what I do before shooting is I just write out for myself what I think I’m hearing based on what my response is. I kind of just make up a backstory in my own head. And a lot of times Ben and I will play around with how long the pauses are. Sometimes they’re just deliciously long and awkward and fun. Sometimes they’re brief. So I make up my own story about what I think is being said to me.
That’s so interesting. When the series is over, you have to release the transcripts. [Laughs]
I should. I do keep my scripts.
Looking at Season 2 so far, one of the most impactful scenes is when Lumon addresses race in the most Lumon way possible. The Board sends Natalie to give Milchick these paintings where Kier is reimagined as a Black man. And Milchick is so clearly taken aback by them. You two convey so much in that scene through subtle facial expressions, your eyes, your lip quivering. What was it like filming that scene with Tramell?
Filming the scene with Tramell was wonderful. He is such a present actor, such a lovely human and person to work with. He’s so talented and kind. We had had a few discussions — both on set, and I had a discussion with a producer prior to filming it about the content of the scene — and something that Tramell had discussed with me was just wanting to invite the audience without necessarily isolating them with this topic. Because it hadn’t been touched on yet. So I had a discussion with him and we talked about all the different ways that it could be portrayed. And what I thought would be interesting for my end is to have a different experience than Milchick does. And so we played around with different responses. We tried it quite a few times. Ben was wonderful about letting us explore that and bring our own ideas into it, and he gave us a lot of flexibility, as well as some wonderful direction, as he always does.
I remember just looking into Tramell’s eyes and feeling so shook by the directness that was going on, because in that scene — and I think what made the final cut — is that he looks at me in a very direct and pointed way. And Natalie is so accustomed to having this veneer and things are being said, but there’s another message underneath. There’s a lot of coding going on. And so I think that for me as an actor, in that moment, I experienced this directness as something that kind of shook Natalie up, because it wasn’t something that she’s normally accustomed to dealing with. I believe that there were a lot of subconscious layers for her that I, as the actor, was conscious of complicated feelings that were going on inside of her. But I decided that Natalie isn’t necessarily conscious and awake to those. So the second it starts bubbling up and it gets too close to the surface, it becomes incredibly threatening. And it’s important to her to maintain her position in the company. She is a true believer of Lumon and everything that they’re accomplishing. And so I had to just push it back down and go back into my comfort zone, for lack of another word. I would also say that to me, there did feel like a moment of warning him that Lumon is listening.
“To actually have participated in a project — the whole of Severance, which, I just admire this show so much — but also a scene that was meaningful to people, is literally a dream come true. I don’t actually have the words to express how happy it makes me, but I’m over the moon.”
Sydney Cole Alexander, Severance
Right. Lumon is listening normally, but Natalie literally has The Board in her ear. We see again in Episode 205 that Milchick confronts Natalie about the complex emotions the paintings evoke and the similar challenges they may have faced as employees of color at Lumon. She dismisses the conversation, but that facade briefly falls again. Do you think Milchick is starting to awaken something within her, whether she’s ready to confront it or not? Between that scene and him looking at her when he’s getting absolutely destroyed in his performance review —
I know. So intense. Initially, I try to do a lot of research, but I also do my best to remain open to see what the other actor is going to give me, because I don’t want to plan out my entire reaction when there’s another artist across from me who has something to give that should be affecting me. So when I first took a look at that scene in my head, I was like, “No way.” But when I was actually on set with him, I felt a bit softened by him. I do think that Natalie, at the very least, was open to a discussion and a conversation person to person with him, because I think that Milchick, so far, has been such a company man, and follows the rules, and believes so much in the teachings of Kier and is so committed to Lumon, whereas Harmony moves to the beat of her own drum and she breaks rules. And that’s not something that Natalie agrees with or appreciates. So I think she has a different dynamic and a different relationship with Milchick, and is more open to having conversations and maybe even taking him under her wing a little bit to show him how to survive in a corporation like this.
I think there is a little bit of an awakening in her. But at the same time, she has the ability to pass more and she has the ability to fly under the radar. She’s closer to the top of the company, so she enjoys the many privileges that allows her to enjoy. So while I think it’s awakening her, I don’t know necessarily how far it will go for her. I’m curious about that as well.
We really start to learn how important Natalie’s role is in Season 2. Not only is she present in those boardroom discussions, but she ambushes Ricken and Devon at their home in this hilarious but manipulative effort to get him to water down his book, The You You Are, for innies. What was it like getting to leave Lumon and share a scene with Michael Chernus and Jen Tullock?
It was so fun. I never thought I was going to be having any scenes with them, so when I saw the script I was really excited about it. As an actor, it’s so awesome to work with different actors, who are all so talented, and learn from and collaborate with them. So Sydney-wise, that was such a wonderful experience, because this is such a collaborative, creative cast.
As far as being Natalie outside of Lumon, that was actually really fun, because I got to see how she has a bit of this PR public persona that is quite different than the person she is when she’s coming in to reprimand someone. Quite often she’s translating and being a conduit to the gods, if you will, a message that she’s being told. She has to relay messages back and forth. And so that was a moment of freedom, too. I obviously had a mission and a goal and there was a purpose there. But I was able to converse more freely, which I thought was a really fun exercise and a nice color to see for her. Working with them was great. It felt very tense in the room the second that Devon walked in. [Laughs]
I know, I hope we see more of them together down the line. In Season 1 you shared the majority of your scenes with the great Patricia Arquette. What was it like working with her and crafting Natalie and Cobel’s dynamic?
It was incredible. I was definitely nervous my first day, because this is my first recurring role. And to hop on a set with a legend like Patricia Arquette is just a wild experience. She is such a professional. She is so dedicated, and specific, and kind. She was very warm and very welcoming. And I think one of the first things I noticed was that she harnesses so much power and is so silent and communicates so clearly and so well while barely moving a muscle — not even raising her voice. I think looking at her and watching her work really helped me ground and lock in. I also really enjoyed the tension that we had between these two characters, because it felt like there was so much backstory that’s not being necessarily explored in the script, but you can feel it. It was wonderful working with her, that one scene where she gets up in my face and is speaking through the earpiece was so amazingly invasive and horrible for Natalie, but so wonderful for me as an actor to be able to have that scene with her. It has been an absolute joy and a pleasure.
You even got to fire her! And she says, “Oh fuck off, Natalie! Is The Board even there?” How satisfying was it to finally hear a “yes” come out of that little speaker?
[Laughs] So satisfying. I got to really relax.
I’m not sure how online you are in regards to the show, but I want to know if you’ve seen the overwhelming love for you and Natalie — particularly after your Season 2, Episode 3 scene.
I am online. I have a lurker Reddit account. [Laughs] So I read the comments. I’m so touched by the response. First of all, it’s so fun to be so hated, which I never thought I would say. But it really has been such a joy. I was hoping that people would receive that painting scene. But the response has far exceeded my expectations. I have truly felt so honored and touched by the results. People are just so happy about the scene, and all of the comments and appreciation for the scene just touched my heart. I think as an actor, it’s so wonderful to be able to work, to have the privilege to work at all. But to actually have participated in a project — the whole of Severance, which, I just admire this show so much — but also a scene that was meaningful to people, is literally a dream come true. I don’t actually have the words to express how happy it makes me, but I’m over the moon.
Since you’re a Reddit lurker, I have to ask if you’ve seen the many fan theories about Natalie and The Board and if you have a favorite.
As far as theories go, I don’t know what my favorite theory is. I almost don’t want to comment on theories because I love how obsessed people are with theories. And I don’t want to dismiss any of them because I want people to keep thinking about them. [Laughs]
I respect it. Assuming there will be a Season 3, because fans would riot if this show was not renewed, is there anything you’d like to see for Natalie or an experience as an actor you’d like to have on the show?
I would like to see a little bit of Natalie’s day to day life. It’s been so amazing to start to see Outie Helena. I’m just loving it. Britt Lower is fantastic. She’s nailing it. And generally, I’m interested in seeing how other employees like Milchick and Natalie got involved with this company and how far does this commitment go? That’s one thing I was thinking about with that Ricken scene. This is not a 9 to 5 job and there are no boundaries here. It’s not just a PR representative and meetings. People are doing things that wouldn’t be expected out of a normal job. So I’m curious to see more of that.
Oh absolutely. We need some Natalie backstory. When you think of your career beyond Severance, is there another show you’d love to join or a certain genre on your wishlist?
I’ve always wanted to do action. I remember being a kid and seeing Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider and something just clicked for me. I just really, really loved watching that film. So that’s something that’s always been in my head. I’m a very physical person. I work out a lot, so I think doing stunts and doing action would be so fun. In addition to that, I am obsessed with Silo and I would love to be on Silo.
Oh, you would be amazing on Silo. Apple TV+ gods, if you’re reading this…
I think it’s an amazing show. And I do love drama, but I’m also into comedy as well. So maybe something like Arrested Development would be fun, to play a really over the top character. [Laugh]
Definitely. And as for your action dreams, Tramell has an in with Mission Impossible and in the meantime, we need a scene of Natalie doing the Tom Cruise run down a Lumon hall.
[Laughs] I need a running scene for sure, and I would definitely do Mission Impossible.
The Board has concluded the interview, which was edited for length and clarity.
New episodes of Severance Season 2 premiere Fridays on Apple TV+.
