Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for Severance Season 2.Apple TV+’s Severance is home to a lot of twists and turns, but perhaps one of the twistiest aspects of all is the possibility of romance that has emerged for certain characters, despite the fact that many of them are literally living severed lives. This season, relationships are becoming even more complicated for innie like Dylan G. (Zach Cherry) or Mark S. (Adam Scott), but back when the show first premiered, one of its sweetest and, surprisingly, most innocent dynamics was introduced through the romance between innies Irving B. (John Turturro) and Burt G. (Christopher Walken), who offered an unexpectedly light contrast to some of the series’ darker happenings. Theirs is a relationship that’s given even more weight because of the veteran screen presences behind it, but their innies’ connection also seems to carry over into Season 2, as Burt finds himself drawn to Irving’s outie outside of Lumon — and ultimately extends Irving an invitation for dinner at his house, with his husband Fields (John Noble) also in attendance.
Ahead of Severance’s long-awaited return, Collider had the opportunity to speak with many members of the show’s cast, including Walken, about some of their characters’ most pivotal moments in Season 2. Over the course of the interview, which you can read below or watch above, Walken reflects on his surprising road to joining Severance, how his longtime friendship with Turturro informed their characters’ on-screen romance, and why Irving and Burt are continually drawn to one another. He also discusses his memories of filming Episode 6’s tense dinner scene, what it was like playing husbands with Noble, and more.
COLLIDER: Before getting into the specifics of some of the Season 2 moments that you have, I did want to ask you about something that I only just learned myself recently, which is that your costar, John Turturro, actually pitched for you to play Burt when he was cast in Severance. When did you learn that yourself?
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN: I’ve only learned that recently, and I’m very glad to hear it. I’m glad it happened. I think one of the things about Burt and Irving has to do with Chris and John. I’ve known John for a very long time — 40 or 50 years. We were young actors, going around New York looking for work. I’ve known him a long time. He’s a terrific director, and I’ve been in two or three of his movies. I know his family. You can tell when you see people together that they’ve known each other a long time, that they like each other, they laugh at each other’s jokes, they finish sentences, and so I think it makes absolute sense that John and I would be playing people who love each other.
Christopher Walken Explains Burt and Irving’s Connection in ‘Severance’

Image via Apple TV+

From the position of someone playing Burt, I would love to know what you feel is the reason that Burt is drawn to Irving in Season 1. How did you interpret the pull that he feels toward this other man as you were exploring this dynamic in Season 1?
WALKEN: When you look at any two people who are together, married or together — what’s that song, “Some Enchanted Evening?” — “Who can explain it? Who can tell you why?” It’s mysterious.
So, nothing explicable, really?
WALKEN: No. People love each other. Who knows?
I would say there’s a sweetness and a vulnerability to their relationship that serves to offset the intensity that this show has a lot of the time. Was there anything that surprised you in getting to play those more emotional moments with John, especially, as you’ve just talked about, given the longtime friendship and collaboration that you’ve had?
WALKEN: For some reason, and I think I know partly what it is, early in my career, I got started playing disturbed people. I played suicidal people, people who got into trouble, and that kind of got a thing going with me where I played all these twisted people. But to play a nice man, a decent guy with a love interest, is just something really rare for me, especially at this point in my career. So, that was a big plus when it came to playing this part. It was not only with people that I admire a lot, but it was something different for me.

Related

“I’m Glad It Happened”: This ‘Severance’ Star Specifically Requested Christopher Walken To Be Cast As Burt

“I think it makes absolute sense that John and I would be playing people who love each other.”

Switching gears to Season 2, as we see in the finale, there’s a big moment that people had hoped for between your characters, but it doesn’t resolve in the most ideal way. But then we see that Burt is starting to follow Irving around, trying to figure out what this guy’s deal is. Even without the knowledge of the innies and the fact that Burt has a husband, do you think he still feels that indescribable pull somehow between them?
WALKEN: I do. I do think so. You’ve seen the second season; I haven’t. I’ve seen the first season, but the second season, of course, I remember shooting the scenes; I know what they’re about, but on the other hand, anything I’ve ever done, you shoot it, and then you go see it a year later, and it’s always surprising. There’s stuff about it and there’s stuff in it that I hadn’t noticed was there. Even when I shot the scene, and I think I know what it was, it’s always a surprise.
Christopher Walken Discusses Playing John Noble’s Husband in ‘Severance’ Season 2

Speaking of surprises, I wanted to ask about when you found out that John Noble would be playing Fields in Season 2 and what it was like getting to film that dinner scene in Episode 6 with all of you sitting around the table.
WALKEN: I don’t know where it turned out to be. As I say, I haven’t seen it, but when I read it, I thought, “This is like one of those family dinners that goes all wrong.” One of those Thanksgivings where people start to talk politics or something, and all sorts of stuff comes out that maybe would be best left unsaid. That’s how that scene struck me. I don’t know what I’m going to think when I see it.
To your point, it is about the unspoken elephant in the room.
WALKEN: The elephant in the room, yes.
I did want to ask about working with John Noble and how the two of you found that relationship.
WALKEN: I didn’t know him. I’d never met him. I’ve seen him before. We only shot that for a couple of days, so I met my husband, and then two days later, we said goodbye.
New episodes of Severance Season 2 air Fridays on Apple TV+.

Severance

Release Date

February 18, 2022

Showrunner

Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman

Writers

Dan Erickson