Britt Lower Unveils Helly R Sketches From Severance
Artistic glimpses inside Lumon: drawings that highlight her character’s hidden world. IRL.
Image: Instagram
Behind The Sketches
Britt Lower, celebrated for her breakout role as Helly R on the Apple TV+ thriller Severance, recently gifted fans an intimate glimpse of her creative process. On Instagram, the actress shared a gallery of small, monochrome illustrations that she quietly sketched while filming Season 1. “some sketches of Helly R’s inner life that i made while filming s1 of Severance. (see if you can spot a few of Helena in there…),” she captioned the post, inviting followers to decode hidden cues woven into each drawing.
The World Of Severance
Severance offers a high-concept premise: employees at Lumon Industries undergo a medical procedure that severs their work memories from their personal selves. Lower’s character, Helly R, grapples with the psychological fallout of split identities in a sterile corporate labyrinth. The series has won praise for its sharp writing, eerie production design and standout performances by Patricia Arquette, John Turturro and Adam Scott. These sketches serve as unofficial concept art, spotlighting the emotional fractures the show explores onscreen.
A Multifaceted Talent
Lower’s artistic dexterity extends well beyond camera lenses. In a W Magazine feature, she revealed that during the three-year production hiatus between Severance seasons, she temporarily joined the Shoestring Circus as an informal ringmaster. Her resume from that period reads like a vaudeville bill: sketching face-painting tutorials, playing trumpet atop a tightrope and teaching a pet betta fish circus tricks. Fans now see how her love of performance art and visual storytelling meld seamlessly in both her acting and illustrations.
Career Highlights
A native of Saginaw, Michigan, Lower honed her craft at the University of Texas at Austin before moving to New York City to pursue theater and television. She earned early acclaim playing Liz on the surreal FXX comedy Man Seeking Woman, showcasing her talent for blending deadpan humor with emotional depth. Severance marked a pivot into darker territory, earning her wider recognition and an ensemble nod at the Emmys.
Influences And Inspirations
Her Instagram archive reveals unexpected touchstones. In a recent post, Lower sat down with Patti Smith—a muse she credits for infusing Helly’s resilience with punk-rock verve. “I wanted Helly to have that fearless, unapologetic edge,” she told fans after an Apple TV+ press panel. Now, through fine lines and shading, the actress renders Helly’s silent rebellions and internal dialogues in vivid detail.
Fans React
Enthusiasts wasted no time in combing through each panel. Comments noted obvious Easter eggs—cracked mirrors, flaming hearts and nods to specific locations used on Lumon’s eerie sets. Some speculated that certain symbols hint at Season 2 plot points, while others simply admired Lower’s striking draftsmanship. Even fellow cast members chimed in: John Turturro dropped a 🔥 emoji, and Adam Scott reposted a sketch of his own character scrawled in a corner.
Looking Ahead
As filming on the next season ramps up, Lower promises more surprises. “I’ve been doodling new ideas for where Helly goes from here,” she teased in a recent interview. With her sketchbook in hand, fans can look forward to further artistic revelations that deepen the mystery of Lumon and its employees.
Whether she’s juggling on a circus trapeze or sketching complex psychological states, Britt Lower continues to blur the line between performer and artist. For more behind-the-scenes glimpses, her Instagram handle @brittle is now required viewing for any Severance superfan.
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