Celebrating its 10th year, the North Fork TV Festival is thrilled to announce Tramell Tillman as the recipient of the 2025 Breakout Performance Award, an honor that celebrates his performance which has captivated audiences and defined a moment in television.
This year’s festival will launch the inaugural Inside the Actors Studio, a new initiative spotlighting in-depth 60-minute conversations with TV’s most respected actors. Confirmed guests include Chris Briney (The Summer I Turned Pretty), Anna Chlumsky (Veep), Richard Kind (Only Murders in the Building), Susan Kelechi Watson (This Is Us and The Residence), and Jenn Lyon (Claws), who will share behind the scenes insights and reflect on their artistic journey. In addition, Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: Organized Crime) will be honored with the 2025 Canopy Award, recognizing a career of enduring impact and innovation in television. The festival will take place on Tuesday, June 17th and Wednesday, June 18th at the Sound View Greenport, NY.
“We are honored to present Tramell Tillman with this year’s Breakout Performance Award,” said Founder Noah Doyle. “The Breakout Performance Award was created to honor those rare performances that not only showcase exceptional talent but also shift the way we experience television. Tramell Tillman embodies that spirit completely—his portrayal of Milchick in Severance is a masterclass in nuance, intensity, and innovation. We look forward to celebrating him at the 2025 festival.”
Additionally, the North Fork TV Festival’s Artistic Director, television, and film producer Mike Stern, has announced the winners of this year’s Independent Pilot Competition and Television Script Competition:
Pilot Competition Winners
- The Rebel Girls directed by Felicia D Henderson
- Settle directed by Voy Bach
- $hare directed by Delia Mayer
- So Dark the Sky directed by Kyle Thomas & Eric Rose
- What Haunts Us directed by Lukáš Hanulák
Script Competition Winners
- The Fortune Teller’s Daughter written by Raye Levine & Krista Donargo
- Admissions written by Sonali Mehta
- Cascade written by Nicholas Hawthorne
- Stars and Stripes written by Andra Vebell
- Formerly Fat Housewife written by Carolyn Getches & Hilary C. Gish
“This year’s Script and Pilot Competitions were our most competitive yet, with dozens of exceptional submissions from around the world,” said Artistic Director Mike Stern. “Among the standouts: a psychic shop hiding criminal secrets, a cyber thriller during a global blackout, a Cold War-era drama about truth and censorship, and the inspiring true story of Weight Watchers founder Jean Nidetch. Our pilot winners were just as bold featuring rebellious civil rights activists, climate survivors, psychic detectives, and more. The breadth of imagination and originality on display this year reaffirms North Fork as a premier home for boundary-pushing, independent television storytelling.”
With a robust schedule of screenings, panels, and conversations set in the heart of Greenport, NY, the 2025 North Fork TV Festival promises to be a vibrant celebration of creativity, performance, and the evolving television landscape.
Festival passes and individual tickets will be available soon at www.northfork.tv/tickets.
For programming details, guest announcements, and more, visit www.northfork.tv and follow @NorthForkTV on Instagram and Twitter for real-time updates.
ABOUT THE NORTH FORK TV FESTIVAL
The North Fork TV Festival celebrates the evolution of television, both mainstream and independent, bringing together the minds of actors, executives, writers, and directors. Held annually in Greenport, New York, the festival supports independent program development and embraces exciting, innovative voices from around the world. Founded in 2015, The North Fork TV Festival is a year-round 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Every year an expert panel selects four independent pilots to be screened at the Festival and additionally mentored through development and eventual production of the pilots into on-air series.
ABOUT TRAMELL TILLMAN
Tramell Tillman currently stars as Seth Milchick in the award-winning Apple TV+ series SEVERANCE. For his role, he has earned SAG and Independent Spirit Award nominations. This spring, he will star alongside Tom Cruise in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING, which will premiere at Cannes.
Tillman is currently in production on the Amazon MGM film YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER. His TV credits include Marti Noxon’s AMC series DIETLAND, GODFATHER OF HARLEM and HUNTERS. His film credits include the HBO Max film SWEETHEARTS and the indie BARRON’S COVE.
In 2024, Tillman starred with Neil Patrick Harris, Debra Messing, Jane Krakowski, Constance Wu and Garret Dillahunt in Manhattan Class Company’s SHIT. MEET. FAN. In 2022, he starred opposite Sean Hayes in the Goodman Theater’s GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR. Tillman originated the role of ALVIN and continued to serve as creative consultant for the Broadway production. He made his Broadway debut in THE GREAT SOCIETY (Vivian Beaumont) starring Brian Cox. Before that, he was in CARMEN JONES (CSC) starring opposite Anika Noni Rose. He has been a residing member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where he helped launch the Tony nominated play SWEAT by Lynn Nottage. He continued performing his lead role at the Arena Stage in Washington DC. He currently resides in New York City.
