[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Silo Season 3.]

Apple TV’s masterful adaptation of Hugh Howey’s book series, Silo, has earned acclaim from critics and viewers alike, with Collider’s Tania Hussain calling the show’s penultimate season “a new standard for what prestige sci-fi can be.” As with every adaptation, however, there will always be creative departures from the source, and for creator and showrunner Graham Yost, one of the biggest came in the fate of the formidable Bernard Holland, portrayed on screen by Academy Award winner Tim Robbins.

Instead of perishing in the fire, as in the books, Silo gives Holland a second chance, providing the antagonist with the possibility of redemption. In this interview with Collider’s Steven Weintraub, Robbins discusses this divergence from the original story, when he was first made aware of his character’s surprising fate, and why he was most interested in exploring this fresh take on Holland. Robbins also talks about the physical challenges of portraying Holland, why the role resonated with him, and why a show like Silo speaks to audiences on a different level today.

Tim Robbins Calls Bernard’s Change from the Books a Gift

He also discusses the dangers of being a “truth teller.”

COLLIDER: What’s interesting is that Graham [Yost] has changed what happens to Bernard from the book to the show in that in the book, he dies in the fire, and in this, he survives. When did you find out that there would be a big change coming?

TIM ROBBINS: Toward the middle of Season 2, I was tipped off about what happens in Season 3.

What was your reaction reading all the scripts of Season 3 and seeing the arc?

ROBBINS: What a gift to be able to play a completely different version of Bernard, who has been altered not only physically because of the injuries from the end of Season 2, but also just a complete makeover internally. Realizing that up until that point, his entire life was a lie, that’s a great arc to play as an actor. That’s a gift. That’s one of those rare moments where you get to play someone whose whole worldview has been shattered, and he realizes that he’s been used by a system that did not have his best intentions in mind, or, for that matter, the best intentions of the silo.

If Bernard could talk honestly to the people of the silo for one minute, what do you think he would actually say?

ROBBINS: That’s the danger of the truth teller. That’s why they are silenced. That’s why they’re marginalized. That’s why they’re excluded from society. Someone who’s been inside, who has seen the internal machinations of power and can expose power for what it is, that’s the most dangerous person. So, I believe if he could talk to the entire silo, he’d just lay down the truth, and in essence, he knows there’s no way to accomplish that, but he can associate with people that can carry the truth on when he’s gone.

Tim Robbins Was Ready for Bernard’s Redemption Arc

He also discusses the challenges of filming through recovery.

Talk a little bit about filming your death scene in Episode 9. Did they purposely save that for your last day of filming or near to one of the last things?

ROBBINS: No, I still had to do other things after the death scene. It was just the way things are scheduled. But you get used to that as an actor. You could be playing the end before the middle, you know? So, you just have to be clear on what your beats are and where you are as far as the character’s development goes.

The other challenge I had was that I was in various stages of recovery throughout the course of the season, so the voice had to be modulated from severely injured to getting better.

I wanted to ask you specifically about your voice because your performance is just so good on the show, but especially this season. Can you talk about finding that voice and what it was like on your vocal cords when you were doing it?

ROBBINS: It wasn’t great, but I always made sure that we could nail the takes pretty early and not do thousands of them, and it was fine. The mindset was that every time I did a scene, I had to be in severe pain. Even later, as he healed, that pain is still there, and that’s pretty intense. You just gotta commit to it. The good news is that I’ve done it long enough that I know how to conserve my energy for the moment when the camera rolls and not torture myself too much so that I’m actually hurting myself. In the past, I might have hurt myself in order to achieve what I’ve done. [Laughs]

Do you think Bernard enjoyed his role in the silo or if he could go back in time and not take the job in IT? Do you think he would not take the job?

ROBBINS: If he knew what he knew at the end? Probably not. The thing about power and influence is it kind of sucks you in gradually. You become more and more trusted to become in the inner circle of knowledge, and by the time you’re there, you don’t even know you’ve been corrupted. It’s a slow drip. It’s like a frog in boiling water — by the time you realize what’s being done, you’re already cooked.

The fascination with this role lies in understanding someone who holds influence and power while rationalizing their actions. Everyone believes they act virtuously. Every antagonist acts from a place they consider virtuous based on special knowledge they possess. This knowledge drives them to perform difficult tasks while convincing themselves they are sacrificing for their power rather than compromising it. This phenomenon often leads leaders down destructive paths justified by claims such as “It’s a big lie for a greater good.” Such reasoning can lead to devastation.

I was intrigued by exploring this mindset while also portraying Bernard’s journey toward redemption. Once certain truths are revealed to him, his perspective shifts significantly — presenting him with choices between retaining power or striving for redemption through truth.

Tim Robbins on How ‘Silo’ Reflects Our World Today

“Trauma only is healed by shedding light on it and dealing with it.”

When did you realize that people really love the show? Because everyone I know who watches it is very passionate about the series.

ROBBINS: Well, that’s great to hear. I kind of suspected that it was going to happen when I first read the script because what it was doing was telling a metaphorical story set in fiction but reflecting our current reality. We started shooting this at the tail end of two years locked down due to COVID-19 restrictions while reading scripts discussing societal lockdowns where those opposing narratives face exclusion or expulsion.

This resonated deeply with me given my questions surrounding prolonged lockdowns — an unprecedented event throughout history where society faced such restrictions globally. My experiences working with The Actors’ Gang highlighted trauma among children during recovery phases post-lockdown — showcasing how art plays an essential role in revitalizing lives affected by trauma. Ignoring trauma doesn’t make it disappear — healing requires confronting it directly.

The essence of great drama lies within its ability to address societal issues historically through storytelling — offering catharsis for communities grappling with shared trauma following events like war or disease outbreaks throughout history.

I believe audiences connect strongly with Silo because it encapsulates these themes effectively — illuminating our collective need for narratives addressing recent traumas we’ve experienced.

Silo Season 3 is available for streaming on Apple TV.

[nospin]Here you can find the original article; all photos used here are sourced from them with proper attribution.[nospin]

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