An Interview with Tim Robbins from ‘Silo’

It is definitely safe to say, that Tim Robbins is nothing short of a screen legend. One that has starred in some of our favorite movies and shows, and currently, Tim stars as Bernard in upcoming Apple TV+ series, Silo, and we here at NTG had the absolute honor of sitting down with Tim to talk about his new show and his mysterious new character.
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John Betancourt: What was it that attracted you to this particular project?

Tim Robbins: The overall world that Hugh (Howey) created and how relevant it was to what we've just experienced. I… I think the book is more relevant now than it was when he wrote it. The themes that run through it about truth, what is truth? How much of a society can be maintained? If at its core, there is a lie. How sustainable is that? And how and what kind of actions do people in power have to take in order to sustain that lie?

John Betancourt: You are spot on when it comes to relevancy for sure. Now, Bernard is a very intriguing character to say the least. What was it that attracted you to him as an actor?

Tim Robbins: Well, I've always been curious about what is that thing that happens with people in power, where they can rationalize behavior, that if it were to live out in the open air would not be acceptable, but that they must justify, in their minds as necessary for the survival of society? What are the compromises to the soul that happen with that, and always, these people throughout history seem to be operating from this position of virtue. That, they're taking this burden on for others, other people and, and for the survival of the human race. How much of that is true? And how much of that might be related to the tendency in people in power to lean towards autocracy. Does autocracy and, and totalitarianism make their job easier?

And also running concurrently with that is the character of Juliette who comes from a position… of a different position in society of the lowest, the down deep, the mechanicals, and how she pursues truth, based on what is in her heart, her need to find out what happened to the one that she loved, and why he died. And as she seeks this truth, she starts peeling away layers, that reveal a different truth about the silo itself. And it's always going to be the personal quest for truth that will let the human spirit survive, it will never be the compliant person that will carry on the flame of the human spirit. It will always be the rebel; it will always be the critical thinker. It will always be the one that is pursuing something out of a sense of love instead of a sense of fear or, or anger. And her journey, in contrast to my journey, for me is what makes the story resonate.

John Betancourt: Now what’s interesting about this story and your character, is that everyone in the Silo is in a dark place and searching for something more. Whereas Bernard, seems very content with where he is at. What would you say he’s ultimately searching for as a character?

Tim Robbins: Good liquor. (Laughter from Tim and John)

John Betancourt: That’s fair. That’s very fair.

Tim Robbins: It’s good to be the head of IT. No, I don't think there's a lot of introspection in the character, I don't think he's really searching for anything, I think he has a certain knowledge that no one else has. And the burden that comes with that is his challenge. Whenever I approach a character, I try not to judge them into whether they're good or bad. And I'm not sure I even understand now whether Bernard is a good person or a bad person. I think he is a result of the circumstances that led him to this and is in an unenviable position of having to make difficult decisions for the good of others.

John Betancourt: Last question I have for you today, what are you most proud of when it comes to your time on this show?

Tim Robbins: I'm actually proud of everybody involved with this show. Everyone on the crew, who were lovely, and professional, and talented, the designers that created this amazing world. The cinematographers that lit it, that created cinematic dynamics that make the story exciting. The cast that is so talented, and such a great sense of diversity of a society. And the crew that worked their butts off to make this. And we did it in a very human way. I think that's something I'm very proud of, that we worked on this show for quite a few months, but we kept it to ten-hour days, at the most, and sometimes less. Meaning that everyone on the crew got to see their kids at night and got to have dinner out with friends. Oftentimes, in this business, we work these insane hours, fourteen, fifteen-hour days. You know, somehow this is possible in the 21st century, with workers that are protected by unions.

That for me is insane. I've worked on a few shows that have been very human and mindful of the fact that we have a bunch of professionals, that are going to create great work. But we're not going to overwork them and push them to a point where their spirits break. I think this show coming from the top, from the producers, from Graham Yost, from the directors, from the people that pulled the strings. Always were mindful of this. And that's super important. Because it allows people to work hard to go home and have their lives and to come back the next day, having experienced their other life. That's so important. When you overwork people, all they can do is go home and sleep. And that doesn't allow enough of the richness of life to permeate their existence. And you start to feel in the months as they progress on situations like that, a depressing and oppressive kind of pallor that manifests, and that's not fun. And we had fun on this for the whole show.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

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