It used to be that people hated commercials and saw them as a barrier to being able to enjoy their favorite TV shows. But a handful of brands have made TV commercials more entertaining in recent years, and AT&T is one of them.
The cellular carrier has aired tons of commercials over the years, and one particularly popular style of spot involved "Lily" the AT&T girl. But who is Lily, and what else has she done other than sell cell phone plans for AT&T?
'Lily' Is Actress Milana Vayntrub
Years ago, actress Milana Vayntrub appeared in an AT&T commercial, and her cute and quirky personality charmed viewers. But even before that, Milana was making a name for herself in the media (and it wasn't 'Lily Adams').
In fact, Milana's IMDb resume indicates that she started out on YouTube years ago, chalking up 11 million views before landing an even more illustrious gig. Her online content turned into an MTV gig, which later resulted in her making more connections in the industry.
She's also studied improv and maintains connections with improv organizations to continue honing her craft. And for a time, Vayntrub worked on writing, producing, and directing documentaries that brought social issues into the spotlight. Then, she began appearing in AT&T's commercial spots.
Milana still works on activism-related projects and is very outspoken about injustices in the media and around the world. In fact, she's had firsthand experience with one particular brand of injustice while working with AT&T.
The AT&T Girl Wasn't Thrilled With The Gig
Unfortunately for Milana, her gig as the AT&T girl wasn't exactly her dream job. Though the work itself was something she enjoyed, Vayntrub spoke up on Instagram Live after years working for AT&T to talk about the harassment she'd experienced as the face of AT&T.
It was worse than just fans' resentment of the new Jake from State Farm, or the typical eye-rolls that come with some TV commercials.
It turned out that although her chipper alter ego on the AT&T commercials seemed like a crowd-pleaser, people were actually harassing Vayntrub behind the scenes.
People regularly commented not just on Milana's appearance, but also said uncomfortable "sexual and violent comments" about her body, the actress explained in an interview. Vayntrub elaborated that the experience was shocking to her, not just because of the vile comments, but because of the controversy her speaking up created.
Milana pointed out that people seemed to think it was her "job" to "avoid being harassed," which is something a lot of people, and women especially, can relate to.
Her employer appeared to agree, even disabling Instagram comments on one post that AT&T made about Lily Adams. But the entire experience changed how Milana looks at her work and the opportunities she takes on.
Milana Vayntrub Has Acted Extensively
Apart from portraying Lily the AT&T girl, Milana Vayntrub has had plenty of other acting experiences in the industry. Her credits span everything from '90s gigs on 'Days of Our Lives' and 'ER' to various TV series and even a recurring role on 'This Is Us.'
She's also voiced a Marvel character, a 'Robot Chicken' character, and has also been in some films (more recently, 'Werewolves Within').
While acting in AT&T commercials doesn't seem to have stinted Milana's career opportunities in any way, she did note that she's more cautious about what kinds of gigs she takes on and even which scenes she participates in, and how.
After the experience of being harassed and dragged online, Vayntrub is reluctant to embrace the roles she might have otherwise, for fear of both criticism and actual danger from people who make hateful and threatening comments.
What Is Milana Vayntrub Doing Now?
Anyone who's watched commercial TV lately has likely seen Lily Adams back in AT&T commercials, and it's true Milana has returned to the role. But the gig is a bit different this time around; Milana reportedly filmed the recent AT&T commercials from her very own home.
She and her boyfriend (an architect) "shot and produced" the ads, notes Adweek, adding to her already impressive resume of 40+ AT&T ads over a span of four years.
The pandemic may have thrown a wrench in some of AT&T's advertising plans, but it seems to have worked out for Milana, whose spots are related to pandemic-era topics and are just as quirky and fun as ever.
And with her return to AT&T, Milana Vayntrub is joining the ranks of other highly recognizable and revered celebs like Jake from State Farm (even if he was replaced), Flo from Progressive, and other commercial favorites.
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