Behind the Scenes of Severance’s Wildest Moment: John Turturro’s Watermelon Head!
If you thought severed heads were only gruesome in horror flicks, think again! In a strikingly bizarre scene from the Apple TV+ hit series “Severance,” viewers are treated to a watermelon bust of none other than John Turturro’s character, Irving, being served during a bereavement ceremony. I mean, what better way to mourn a colleague than by consuming a fruity facsimile of their head, right? Welcome to Lumon Industries, where the absurd is just another Monday morning.
Episode 5, titled “Trojan’s Horse,” throws viewers into the depths of corporate eeriness, as the Macrodata Refinement (MDR) team reluctantly partakes in a ritual led by the not-so-friendly Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman). After some nudging from Dylan, played by Zach Cherry, the team gets the green light to commemorate their severed pal—albeit with an unsettling watermelon version of him as the centerpiece. Show creator Dan Erickson candidly admitted that the nightmarish idea came from his late-night Googling escapades—because who doesn’t revel in a beautifully haunting carved fruit when looking for creative inspiration?
And let’s be real; the watermelon isn’t just for decoration. It’s part of an insane twist that “feels right for Lumon,” as Erickson puts it. That ‘corporeal’ watermelon head is metaphorical frosting on the cake of corporate absurdity that permeates the show, a bizarre nod to how dehumanizing work culture can get.
Planning this seemingly simple prop turned out to be anything but easy! Propmaster Catherine Miller hilariously pointed out that real watermelons just don’t hold up under production scrutiny. They turned mushy and brown faster than you can say “workflow,” so the production eventually went with a convincing foam model. Miller noted, “We created a second melon head out of foam with a ‘slice’ already carved out of it.” Talk about wanting to keep it fresh!
With all these quirky details, it’s no wonder Erickson found even the fake head a tad too realistic, admitting he sometimes worries about his grip on reality. Well, Dan, if this is a peek into your mind, we’re more than curious to see what other creative lunacy you’ve got up your sleeve for the next season!
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and People Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Polygon
