Remmie Milner Talks Silo, Shirley’s Evolution and Finding Strength in Vulnerability

Remmie Milner is a British actor best known for her performances in His Dark Materials, Save Me and Apple TV+’s acclaimed sci-fi drama Silo.

Across three seasons, Milner has brought warmth, resilience and quiet determination to Shirley, one of the series’ most steadfast characters. Now returning for the highly anticipated third season, she finds Shirley navigating grief, fractured friendships and impossible choices as the world of Silo expands beyond the underground society audiences have come to know.

Milner reflects on Shirley’s emotional evolution, the enduring appeal of the series, and why vulnerability can be one of a character’s greatest strengths.

Please introduce yourself … 
I’m Remmie Milner. I’m a South Londoner, originally from Streatham. I’m a Leo, and like every Leo, I’m incredibly proud to be one. Must be that summer jungle energy. When it comes to my roots, my grandad was from Freetown in Sierra Leone. At 16, he came to the UK, eventually settling in Yorkshire. That’s where my mum was born and raised, as part of one of only three Black families living in the area at the time. Growing up there in the ’50s and ’60s came with its own challenges and a lot to navigate, and that’s a really important part of my family’s story.

Describe your life right now in a word or sentence…
It feels like I’m constantly stepping into new chapters – growing, evolving, and embracing new opportunities. Most exciting of all, I’m growing new life, which has made this season feel even more extraordinary.

Why are we here?
As humans on Earth? Wow… we could happily spend hours talking about that, and I’d absolutely be up for it. But for now, we’re here because Silo Season 3 is landing on Apple TV, with new episodes dropping weekly over 10 episodes. Can you tell I’m excited?
I play series regular ‘Shirley‘, a feisty, passionate engineer from the Down Deep – the very bottom of the silo. Silo follows the last 10,000 people on earth, who live underground in a giant silo for reasons they don’t fully understand. All they know is that the world outside is toxic, and if they want to survive, they have to stay inside.

Season 3 places Shirley in an incredibly painful position. Juliette is finally back, but she no longer remembers the people who mattered most to her. What interested you most about exploring Shirley’s grief while the person she’s grieving is still standing right in front of her?
It was such an interesting and challenging journey to go on. How do you begin to separate yourself from someone you love while they’re needing to connect with you? It created such a complicated emotional landscape, and we really had to play around in the moment to find the right balance. Shirley is carrying so much grief, hurt and love all at once; none of those emotions needed to overpower the others.
Getting that balance right from the very beginning was crucial because Episode one sets up the rest of Shirley’s journey and the choices she makes about how much she’s willing to let Juliette back into her life. It was a real puzzle, but that’s exactly what made it so rewarding to explore.

Shirley has evolved from a mechanic into someone increasingly involved in events that affect the entire silo. How have you enjoyed charting that growth, and what have you learned about her along the way?
I’ve been so grateful to play a character who’s as driven, loyal and courageous as Shirley. She’s genuinely inspiring because she’ll always fight for what she believes in, no matter the cost. And you’re absolutely right – she’s grown so much over the three seasons. At the beginning, her passion was all about keeping the silo running. From there, her purpose expanded into helping lead the rebellion alongside Knox, and this season we see her continue to evolve in ways that genuinely surprised me. Every time a new script landed in my lap, I was blown away.
What’s been most beautiful to explore is how she’s matured emotionally. She can still absolutely annihilate you with a single look, but there’s now a tenderness and thoughtfulness to her. She’s learned to sit with a moment, to weigh up the consequences, rather than always charging in headfirst. That growth has been fascinating to play because she’s lost none of her fire; she’s just learned how to channel it.

One of the best things about Silo is that different audiences can read its themes in completely different ways. Have any storylines surprised or caused you to pause and reflect?
One of the real gifts of Season 3 was that we received all ten scripts before we started filming. That meant we could see the complete emotional journey from the outset. It gave us such a rich understanding of where the story was heading. The themes of grief really stayed with me. Silo has this incredible ability to zoom out and ask huge questions about what it means to be human, what gives life meaning, and how we hold on to the people we love. Those ideas really hit me throughout filming. Shirley begins the season being erased by her best friend. Everything which unfolded from that became deeply personal for me. It prompted a lot of reflection about the people in my own life – both those who are still with me and those I’ve lost.

With Silo firmly cemented as one of Apple’s biggest dramas, what has been the most rewarding part of living with and growing this character, especially knowing how fiercely protective the global fanbase is over this story?
The growth of Silo has been unreal. It’s unlike anything I’ve experienced before. The opportunity to nurture not only Shirley’s journey, but the community and family we’ve created within the silo over several years, has been incredibly special. Then to see audiences connect with it so passionately, it really does feel like magic. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve all achieved together.
I read Hugh Howey’s trilogy before we started shooting, and I think the way showrunner Graham Yost and the entire creative team have honoured the spirit of those books while continuing to expand and develop the story is an incredible achievement. As someone who loves novels, it’s been so rewarding to see that care and ambition translate so beautifully onto the screen. And it’s wonderful that audiences seem to feel the same.

You grew up in Streatham. Are there qualities from your upbringing or the people you grew up around that you find yourself bringing to characters like Shirley?
I actually grew up in Streatham until the age of 10 before moving further out to, ironically, a place called Shirley. Growing up in London, you definitely meet some tough, outspoken characters, and you learn to have your smarts about you in certain situations. I’ve been surrounded by people my whole life who would completely understand and appreciate Shirley’s frankness, resilience and no-nonsense attitude, so those rhythms feel very familiar to me – albeit so different to me. I also come from a family of Northerners who are wonderfully direct and tend to say exactly what they think, so I feel like I was perfectly prepared to play Shirley.

Whether it’s His Dark Materials, Save Me, or Silo, when you’re choosing a role, what makes you feel a character is worth spending months or years living with?
I’m glad you mentioned those three projects because I actually think the characters are all so different from one another. What they do have in common, is that each has a compelling and unique way of expressing their story, their needs and their place in the world.
With Shirley, I could see from the very beginning that she possessed this incredible emotional depth beneath a very steely exterior. She’s constantly guarding herself from the world, and that tension fascinated me. It’s such a deeply human thing – that tug of war that goes on within us. That’s also what makes a character exciting to live with over a long period of time. As the story evolves and the stakes become higher, those internal conflicts are tested in new ways, and it’s up to me, alongside the writers and creatives, to work out how that particular person would respond. I love that process. It’s a bit like cracking a psychological code

What’s something you wish someone had told you when you began acting?
That striving for perfection or trying to look like you’ve got everything under control will hold you back. Wanting to be prepared is a great instinct, and I absolutely believe in doing the work before you arrive on set. But once you’re there, the most important thing is to trust your process, stay present and respond truthfully in the moment. Really listening to the person you’re acting opposite, rather than focusing on getting it “right“, is what leads to the most honest, surprising and exciting performances.

 
GETTING TO KNOW YOU…

If not this, then what? If I wasn’t an actor, I’d probably be a psychiatrist. I’m absolutely fascinated by the human brain, human behaviour, and the science behind it all. In a way, that still feels quite closely linked to acting, so maybe it’s a bit of a cheat answer. If I had to choose something completely different, I’d love to study rural tribes, learning about and documenting their traditions and ways of life – with the utmost respect and sensitivity.


What’s made you sad, mad, & glad this week? Sad, the news. There have been some utterly devastating stories, particularly about the lack of care for children and tragic circumstances that could have been avoided. It’s utterly heartbreaking. Mad: Being patronised. It’s something I’ve never responded well to. Glad: Going to a midwife appointment and hearing my baby’s heartbeat thudding away so strongly. It’s such a breath-taking moment and a beautiful reminder of what’s really important.


What are you watching? Cape Fear on Apple TV. 


What are you reading? Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

The last film you watched? Wasteman (So tense and brilliantly done).

The last play you saw? 1536 at Ambassadors Theatre (loved it).


The last live music event? Gala Festival, on Peckham Rye.

What’s currently on your playlist? Sweetie by Kokoroko – bringing the summer vibes. You can’t help but wiggle your hips.

Which podcast are you listening to? Awards Chatter from The Hollywood Reporter and Baby, this is Keke Palmer.

What’s on your bucket list? To hike the Inca Trail in Peru.

Where’s your happy place? Outdoors on an adventure with my family. Bliss.

Celebrate someone else … It has to be Rihanna. She really is paving the way. It’s incredible to see the Queendom she’s built for herself and her family, and she’s done it on her own terms. Beyond all of that, she comes across as a genuinely kind and generous person, which we love! 


Celebrate yourself … I’m really proud that I started filming Season 3 of Silo just eight weeks after giving birth. I kept my baby as close to me as possible throughout the shoot, and we made it work. It wasn’t always easy, but I’m proud that I managed to juggle both motherhood and work. Looking back now, with a very happy toddler on the other side of it all, it feels like a real achievement.

What’s next? Baby number 2. And I couldn’t be more excited about it; we have kept the gender a surprise, so that’ll be an extra magical moment.


Where can we find you? (socials) @remmiemilner on Instagram.

Where can we watch you at work? You can currently watch me on Apple TV, HBO, and Sky Atlantic, so hopefully there’s something for everyone.