‘Breaking Down Miss Huang’s Eventful Season 2 Journey in Severance, from the Severed Floor to Svalbard, with Sarah Bock’

When Miss Huang was initially introduced as the enigmatic new deputy manager of the Severed Floor in Season 2 of Severance, Sarah Bock’s portrayal of the character sparked various interpretations, ranging from being likened to a child and a robot to being described as a clone and a diva. It wasn’t until Episode 209, titled “The After Hours,” that viewers discover her first name is Eustice, just before bidding her farewell.

Spoilers for Severance Season 2, Episode 9 ahead.

In a poignant moment, Mr. Milchick (played by Tramell Tillman) discloses this personal detail while presenting Miss Huang with a bust of Jame Eagan to commemorate the conclusion of her Wintertide Fellowship. Instead of completing the quarter at Lumon, he informs her that she will be dispatched to the Gunnel Eagan Empathy Center in Svalbard to oversee global reforms. As a symbolic gesture of her “improvement,” he instructs her to destroy her cherished Kier ring toss game. Subsequently, a Lumon bus arrives at dusk to pick Miss Huang up, leaving viewers pondering whether this marks the end of the Severed Floor’s youthful character known for playing the theremin, wearing barrettes, sporting pigtails, and tossing marshmallows.

“Initially, she is portrayed as a youngster on the Severed Floor, which evokes a sense of sorrow. Now, she is being sent off to another frigid location all on her own, without her parents. I find it truly heart-wrenching,” Bock expressed to Decider during a Zoom interview. Beyond the storyline, as Severance marked the 18-year-old actor’s debut in television, Miss Huang’s departure also carried a considerable emotional weight for Bock. “I was simply crestfallen on the day of leaving the set,” she shared, “and I believe this sentiment aided me in getting into character.”

While making her TV debut on the acclaimed Apple TV+ series, Bock studies theater and psychology as a freshman at Northwestern University, where Severance co-star/NU alum Britt Lower suggested she attend. “I’ve been getting recognized a little bit, which has been weird for sure, but it’s always been super great interactions,” Bock shared. “I love hearing people’s theories. I was at a deli earlier this weekend and I ran into this couple with a baby and they were like, ‘We love the show. And also our baby is named Helly!’”

If given the opportunity to return for more mysterious and important work down the line, however, rest assured Miss Huang would be at the ready. “I would do anything. I love the team on Severance,” Bock said.

In honor of Miss Huang’s final Season 2 episode, Bock looked back at her Severance experience with Decider, unpacked her intense scenes with Tillman, shared thoughts on her character’s first name, broke her silence on the Kier marshmallows, and more.

Everyone was very confused by Miss Huang at the start of the season, but we eventually learned she was at Lumon for the Wintertide Fellowship, which Ms. Cobel pursued back in the day. And in 209, Miss Huang completes that fellowship and gets her own bust of Jame Eagan with her name on it. First things first: What were your thoughts when you learned she was named Eustice?

[Laughs] I was very happy to finally know her name, because I’d been asking Dan and Ben for a little bit, and they had a couple of different names they hadn’t decided on yet. And when I saw Eustice, I was like, “What?! I have never heard of anyone with this name.” But I think it’s fitting. She is Eustice!

She is Eustice! I looked it up and it apparently means “fruitful” or “steadfast,” so it checks out.

She’s both. Exactly. 

Do you know what other names were being considered? 

I know some of them, but I think those might be revealing other storylines that they were thinking about. So I don’t think I can say.

Oh, interesting! Milchick explains that Miss Huang is moving out of her parents house to steward global reforms in Svalbard, between Norway and the North Pole. What were your thoughts when you first learned her fate this season?

Before the strikes, there were different versions of the ending for this season. So this wasn’t the end, originally. And then when we came back, I got this script and I was like, “Whoa. This is weird. She’s doing more in this episode.” And then I thought, “Whoa! She’s going to Svalbard.” And then I looked up Svalbard, and I was like, “That looks awful.” [Laughs] But no, it really amplifies just how heartbreaking her presence in this story even is. First, she’s a child on the Severed Floor, which is so sad. And then now she’s being shipped off to another icy place all by herself, with no parents. And she was finally getting used to the Severed Floor and now she’s leaving again. I think it’s heartbreaking. 

It’s such a poignant scene, because even as she’s questioning his decision, you can’t see her mouth moving. It’s hidden behind the statue. And that perspective emphasizes how small and young she is. She looks absolutely crushed, I wanted to hug her.

That was the last scene I filmed, too. So I was just sad to be leaving the set that day, which I think helped me get into character. 

All of your scenes with Tramell Tillman are incredible. The tension between Milchick and Miss Huang has been ramping up throughout the season, and he seems to lose all chill in 209 when he makes her sacrifice that last bit of joy and repeatedly smash her game. What was it like shooting that big scene? Did you have any discussions with Tramell ahead of time about how you wanted to play it?

Shooting it was incredible. Any scene I got to do with him was such a gift, because he’s an amazing actor and an amazing person. But shooting that one in particular, I remember we had a lot of discussions between the two of us, just about where Milchick and Miss Huang are at in their relationship in that scene, because part of it could be viewed as being still in opposition with her. But also part of it I feel like he could be him taking care of her and sending her away from this place. I don’t know the answer, but there are many different ways that we approached it. So looking at scenes from all the viewpoints is really fun to do with him. 

Later in the episode Dylan is sort of heartbroken over his outie’s wife and he’s filling out his resignation request. Miss Huang has this very tender, somewhat out of character moment where she — who a few episodes earlier didn’t want to humanize the innies by letting them throw a funeral — apologizes to Dylan and shows genuine empathy. Why do you think she softened like that in her final hours on the Severed Floor? 

Originally, the format of Episode 9 [was different]. The first scene I’m in was actually the last scene before I got on the bus. So the Dylan thing came before that. But I think now, with the information she has about being sent away and the continuous amount of times she’s seen the innies need to be humanized — whether it be through Irving’s funeral or through Dylan’s heartbreaking exchange with his wife — I think she’s realizing now that these are humans. And I think it finally breaks her. And she has that moment of empathy. 

Every exchange between you and Tramell is outstanding, but that performance review “that was a question” scene was definitely one of the most intense. How do you two work together to find that dynamic and summon the subtle ferocity and humor that goes into scenes like that? 

I’ve got to give a lot of credit to Tramell, because he’s done so much amazing work with Mr. Milchick. He knows that character inside and out. Just getting to look at him in those scenes and see the intensity in his eyes and the stillness — the way he’s standing — it really helps me get into the scene. I feel like there’s like a natural tennis match that happens whenever we’re in a scene together, which I really enjoy. 

Looking back on the season, is there a scene that’s most memorable to you?

I really do love that scene with Tramell in Episode 9, where I smash the toy. It was originally a lot longer and there were like more little moments in it, which were really fun to film on the day. And then I would also say the first scene I filmed. The ball game scene. That one is close to my heart, because I was so nervous that day. But I feel like I made a lot of realizations about the character in that scene. And it was my audition scene, so that one particularly stands out to me, because I had a month to work on it. 

When I interviewed Tramell earlier this season, he told me he almost broke character during the Woe’s Hollow campfire scene. Did you struggle to keep a straight face during that, while you were observing the chaos, and playing the theremin, and tossing those delicious-looking Kier marshmallows into the fire? 

I don’t think I ever struggled with breaking character in any of the episodes we filmed. I was genuinely sad to throw away those marshmallows in the fire, though, because I wanted to eat them! And I was promised that I would get to, but I never did. But I remember we were filming this press material. Milchick and Miss Huang are making instructional videos for Lumon. And Tramell and I were improvising throughout that, and he was saying the funniest things, and I kept breaking. It was so, so hilarious.

I love those videos. We got an iconic theremin performance in “Woe’s Hollow,” but Milchick tragically shut down the funeral song Miss Huang had planned. What was the reaction on set when people found out that you actually took the time to learn how to play this mind-blowing instrument for the show?

I remember in the weeks leading up to the theremin, a bunch of the crew members were like, “Ohhh. I can’t wait to hear you play. That’s going to be so exciting.” It made me very nervous, but it was so much fun. And I remember Adam and all of the actors were very excited to finally see that theremin on the day. It was a super fun part of filming Episode 4. 

Before we learned about the Wintertide Fellowship, people were frantically trying to figure out Miss Huang’s whole deal. How aware are you of the many fan theories about her online?

I’m pretty aware. I get a lot of DMs from people sharing their theories. I try to stay off Reddit. I’m very scared of Reddit, I don’t think I’ve gone on there ever. But my friends will send me theories they see on there or on TikTok, and I love seeing those. I think they’re super interesting. And some of them I don’t even know the answer to, so I kind of buy into those. As far as favorite theories go, I think it’s very funny when I get DMs from people saying “You’re a robot” and nothing else. 

Well, you got to be on set with so many obviously incredible talents, including Ben Stiller, Dan Erikson. Were there, I guess, any notes or anything you learned about either yourself as a person or an actor that you’ll take with you in the future? From sovereigns. 

Everything about who I am right now has come from a bit from the show. I learned a lot about being not afraid to try different ways to do a scene, because Ben was so gracious. He let us do so many takes, which I found very helpful, because it gave me the opportunity to fail and try things. Originally, I feel like I was a bit robotic, and I would just do the scene the same way every time. And he was like, You can play around with it, which was very good to know. But I feel like I just learned everything from that show. I’m very grateful for it. 

You auditioned for this role when you were 15 and are now simultaneously crushing college and starring on one of TV’s biggest shows. What has the experience been like for you? Has life noticeably changed? 

A bit. Yeah. I feel like, for the most part, everyone here that I knew previously, before the show came out, I didn’t really tell them that I was in Severance, so I kind of got to know them just as me first, which I’m glad I did. But everyone’s been very supportive and kind about it. I’m just so excited that the show is finally out and that people are going to get to see the amazing work of everyone on the show. I’ve been getting recognized a little bit, which has been weird for sure, but it’s always been super great interactions. I love hearing people’s theories. I was at a deli earlier this week and I ran into this couple with a baby and they were like, “We love the show. And also our baby is named Helly.” 

I love that, and I know you settled on Northwestern because of alum Britt Lower’s advice. What did her mentorship mean to you in your first major TV role? Have you remained close?

Yeah. It’s meant everything to me. She’s continued to reach out and give me so much support and check in on how I’m doing. This is my first time that a show is coming out. She’s just amazing and I’m so lucky to have her to help me navigate all of this. I don’t think I could ask for a better mentor and cast mate in everything. 

I’m not sure if Severance is ready to go to Norway, but if the opportunity presents itself in the future, would you be open to returning to the show as Miss Huang? 

Oh, of course. I would do anything. I love the team on Severance. So, yes!

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

New episodes of Severance Season 2 premiere Fridays on Apple TV+.