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In Severance season 2, executive producer and director Ben Stiller sees a grim reflection in post-Covid Hollywood
After more than 30 years on the big and little screen, Ben Still has seen Hollywood go through its ups and downs, which has informed how characters act in Severance season 2 on Apple TV+
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If watching Severance has had you reflecting on the realities of living in a society burdened by capitalism, you’re not alone. The show isn’t exactly subtle about shining a light on the world as we know it, something that executive producer and director Ben Stiller was keenly aware of while making season two. Severance, according to Stiller, is a grim reflection of the state of Hollywood today.
While reflecting on the show during a recent interview, Ben Stiller explained how Hollywood had changed in recent years. “It’s a very tough environment now to get things made. The strike, post-Covid – it’s more expensive to make things, and I think the decision makers are trying to keep their jobs and trying to figure out how to make things work for them, which means constriction and choices that are safer.”
Stiller has been a player in Hollywood for generations, so he’s seen it through its share of ups and downs. And the lack of control is something that he knew should be in Severance. As the Innie characters never have a full grasp of what they’re doing or why Lumon Industries does what it does, sometimes even stars like him are left in the dark.
“At a certain point there’s always somebody making a decision who is not making it to your face or you don’t even know who that person is,” the Night at the Museum star explained. “Why a decision is made is never explained to the creative person. Or, if it is, it’s usually not the truth. It’s a cliché in Hollywood, but it’s kind of true that everybody will say yes and it doesn’t mean yes. It means no or let me think about it – more than ever, honestly.”
The growing pains of a Hollywood struggling to cope with multiple industry-shaking events – with the current wildfires unlikely to help things – are ripe for exploration as Severance season two debuts on Apple TV+ on January 17, 2025.
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