Tramell Tillman on his journey from "Severance" to "Mission: Impossible"

Actor Tramell Tillman, known for his role in the award-winning series "Severance," makes his action franchise debut in "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning," playing Captain Bledsoe, commander of a stealth U.S. submarine.

Director Christopher McQuarrie specifically sought out Tillman for the role after becoming a fan of his work on "Severance."

"He reached out and said that, you know, there's a role in it for you," Tillman said. "I mean, it was kind of bizarre. I didn't know exactly what he wanted."

When McQuarrie shifted the conversation from "Severance" to the Mission: Impossible project, Tillman had to make a practical decision.

"I did have to check my schedule, that was not a lie," Tillman said." "But as soon as I hung up with Christopher McQuarrie, I called my team and said, we have to figure this out."

Internally, Tillman said he was thrilled.

"It's like, yes, it's finally happening," he said.

Critics have taken notice of Tillman's performance, with reviews calling him "the real standout" who "steals every scene."

Working alongside Tom Cruise presented unique challenges.

"I had to compete with a shirtless, wet Tom Cruise," Tillman joked. "He does not skip a day in the gym. So I had to make sure I was on my up game."

Tillman also praised Cruise as a collaborator.

"So Tom is so generous as a scene partner. He really cares about the work. He is committed to the craft, and he cares about the crew. He gives people the space to learn and to have the resources they need to tell the story."

Tillman's path to Hollywood wasn't conventional. He initially studied to become an orthopedic surgeon at Xavier University before switching careers after his freshman year.

"I was in chem lab and I was bored to tears," Tillman recalled. "I said, you know, I wanna follow my dream. I wanna do the thing that lights me up."

That dream was acting, which began for Tillman at age 10 in church plays.

As for the surreal nature of his current success, Tillman remains grounded.

"It doesn't feel real," he said. "I'm kind of waiting for the shoe to drop a little bit, but I'm really honored and doing my best to take it all in, day by day."

"Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning" is distributed by Paramount Pictures, which is part of CBS' parent company, Paramount Global. The film hits theaters on Friday, May 23.