VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Common On Working With Tim Robbins On ‘Silo’

Common discussed his role as Robert Sims in the Apple TV+ series Silo in his new exclusive uInterview.

He explained how he was able to find humanity in his character, who is the head security of the law enforcement that proceeds over the silo. 

“Robert Sims is a person that cares about his family and he actually cares about the well-being of the silo,” said Common. “So that to me is a human being in itself, you know you’ll see he has his son, he has you know a family. And he also has a job to protect the people of the silo.”

He described that it was difficult at first for him to understand Sim’s humanity because it took him a minute to understand Sims as a person. As he learned more about his character he was able to understand that Sims does, “the things that [are] necessary, meaning if lives have to be taken, if lives – if lies need to be told.”

He clarified that he tried to approach the character without judgment, as it is easy for people to solely judge Sims for his actions without understanding why he did them.

“It’s intriguing because I learned more about people and learn more about like people in the position,” he said. “And I do my best to understand that and express that so that when you watch you’ll say hey this is a human being, I don’t know if he’s good or bad, he’s just a human being.”

Common recalled working with Tim Robbins, who plays one of the main characters on the show, Bernard Holland. One specific memory he points out is the last day working with Robbins.

“I just remember everybody being there and celebrating him and also celebrating what we had done… just feeling like man this is something that is really beautiful,” he said, “and like I felt the oneness of this whole show.” 

He appreciated working with Robbins and even remembers getting, “emotional because you know Tim is just a fun guy, he’s a smart dude, but you could see how much he enjoyed it … Even before it was released I just felt the experience was incredible and I’m working with Tim Robbins.” 

He noted the message the show demonstrates about truth and all the different ways truth is intertwined into our lives. 

“I believe one of the greatest messages and themes for Silo is what is truth and how do you find your truth and where do you get your truth from and it has to be okay to question authority because that’s the only way that you will get to certain truths because certain truth has been told that we don’t know where it’s come from or is it the truth?” he said. “So I think this is about like the true meaning is like what do we – how do we use our own thoughts and individualism and just like discernment to maneuver and move through life to actually be part of the whole.” 

This is seen in the show through the characters that, “question the authority but they’re still doing it for a reason to try to help others too and not only themselves. Whereas some that just follow and just follow and just like accept whatever is given. I think it really balances and has us weigh those perspectives and personalities,” he said.

He felt that the show does a good job of demonstrating this theme without, “beating you over the head with the message,” and that viewers can take this message and use it to examine their own lives. 

Most of season one of Silo has come out, and Apple TV+ is still releasing new episodes each week. There are currently seven episodes out, with the eighth one releasing this Friday.