Ben Stiller and Adam Scott, the famous faces behind Apple TV's record-breaking series "Severance", are having a bit of an odd moment. Enjoying some much-needed downtime in an Italian restaurant in the twilight glow of 10th Avenue, they’re the ad hoc centre of attention – every few minutes someone passing by does a double-take, riveted by the sight of them.

Scott, previously known for his roles in "Parks and Recreation" and "Party Down" among others, is experiencing a new surge of fame since he started playing Mark Scout, the conflicto-inducing protagonist of "Severance". “It’s quite the sensation walking down the street these days,” Scott quips light-heartedly. “There’s a baker somewhere out there with a cookie imprinted with my face, if you could believe it!”

Even after the season-finale shocker, fans continue to rave about the show, creating new buzzwords like “innies” and “outies” (hello office jargon!), and unknowingly paying homage by reviving the theme music in the most unexpected places, like Knicks games. “Visions of heaven,” says a delighted Stiller about these quirky fan-tributes.

It all started almost a decade ago with an original script written by Dan Erickson that dared to explore the deep, dark secrets of the workplace, encapsulated in the biotech giant 'Lumon Industries'. "That eerie thing about it was it’s striking novelty, and I was convinced to bring Lumon to life," recalls Stiller on first reading the script.

Connecting over a call in the snowy backdrop of Sundance following Trump’s inauguration in 2017, Scott and Stiller, who seemed to manifest the mystical alignment of the stars, discussed the then-unnamed project. It later faced many rejections until Apple, which wasn’t even on the streaming map back then, caught hold of it. "You can imagine our skepticism." Stiller chuckles, reminiscing, “…but here we are, thank God we didn’t end up with Showtime.”

As the cast gathered, the characters from Erickson's script evolved too. Scott's character, Mark Scout, was initially a cynical "innie", but the actor decided to play him as a starry-eyed believer in his company at first.

Fans have been curious about the nuts and bolts of their creative processes. Much like Scott, who created simplifying tools like dual timelines per character and separate annotations, Stiller says everyone in the team has their unique system for things.

Rumors have been rife about the rocky three-year gap between seasons. Addressing them with a calm, contained smile, Stiller dismisses them, assuring that normal creative conflicts could be likely misunderstood. "Behind the scenes activities should remain there," he firmly states.

The star pair find themselves wriggling out of the barrage of questions concerning the future of the show. They diplomatically refuse to comment upon the specifics of Season 3, the continuity of certain characters, or the potential for spin-offs. But there's a "Severance" video game and show-specific merchandise like Lumon keyboards on the cards in a not-so-distant future.

“Severance” strikes a particular chord for them both. Scott describes his role as Mark Scout in “Severance” as the destination of his long journey through showbiz. Stiller agrees, noting it’s a unique opportunity to still be part of extraordinary experiences after all these years of being in the industry.

Their professional journeys have distinctly transformed with "Severance" and they've found it hard to keep incognito alright! As they consider escaping via the side exit, a "nobody from the Bronx," as he describes himself, hails their work with uninhibited enthusiasm, asking for a picture. Guess these stars aren't slipping out unnoticed anytime soon!