This Is Why You Don't See Many Milana Vayntrub AT&T Commercials Anymore

Milana Vayntrub certainly couldn't have predicted how her life was about to change when she was getting ready to audition for the role of "Lily" in an AT&T commercial. As she told The New York Times in 2023, when she first read for the role, she kept her outfit casual and tied her hair back in a simple ponytail. "I dressed like I imagined a friendly girl would dress," Vayntrub recalled. Clearly, her instincts were spot on. The first ad debuted in 2013, and Vayntrub's Lily quickly became a commercial break staple.

Among a cohort of fairly forgettable advertising figures, Vayntrub's portrayal of the friendly, tech-savvy AT&T store associate was refreshingly authentic, a relatable voice that resonated with viewers. By grounding Lily in wit, warmth, and just a touch of playful humor, Vayntrub became a paramount figure for the brand's identity. Over the years, AT&T's ads featuring Lily created a sense of familiarity that viewers came to depend on, making her one of the most recognizable faces in advertising.

However, as the years rolled on, commercial watchers started seeing less ads featuring Vayntrub's Lily. Her gradual retreat from the limelight left many wondering whether if Vayntrub moved on, or if there was possibly something more behind her reduced screen time. Ultimately, her journey beyond AT&T reveals a mix of creative choices, personal growth, and a fair share of challenges. Milana Vayntrub's AT&T ads may not dominate the small screen like they once did, but that's not to say the actor isn't staying busy.

When Milana Vayntrub first stepped into the role of Lily, she struck a chord with viewers that few advertising characters manage to reach. Her portrayal was disarming, bringing a girl-next-door charm to the brand that felt natural. Unlike many ad characters who often felt overly polished or scripted, Lily came across as authentic and effortlessly engaging, striking the perfect balance between humor and professionalism.

The campaign's success was undeniable — Lily became the face of AT&T, appearing in over 40 commercials between 2013 and 2017. It's no stretch to say Lily is a key part of AT&T's identity, not unlike the GEICO Gecko or Flo from Progressive.  

On a 2024 episode of "Trash Tuesday," Vayntrub reflected on having her career trajectory forever tied to AT&T, noting that she doesn't necessarily mind being associated with the character from the ad campaign. "I feel like that was good for that job, it was helpful for that brand for when they showed my face, for people to be like, 'I know what this is an ad for, this is memorable because it includes this recognizable face,'" she said. "But I also feel like I'm adaptable, and I can change the way I look and I'm often unrecognizable in other things."

While Lily was stealing hearts in living rooms across America as the girl in the AT&T ads, Milana Vayntrub only continued to carve out a career. Far from just a commercial actor or brand spokesperson, Vayntrub's resume features a wide range of performances.

Vayntrub's acting career began when was a child — and as it turns out, AT&T wasn't her first phone ad rodeo. "I did a commercial for a phone company when I was five," she told Esquire in 2015. "But my first big thing was when I was eight. I was on the first season of 'E.R.'" Years later, would land the AT&T spot, and her career only continued to evolve. Her role as playwright Sloane Sandburg on "This Is Us," along with other standout roles in "Silicon Valley" and "Californication," showcased her range as a performer. She even made a splash in the superhero realm, being cast as Squirrel Girl in "New Warriors," a Marvel series that never made it to air.

Balancing these projects with her commitment to AT&T was likely challenging, and her expanding career impacted her availability for the ad campaigns. While her fans grew accustomed to seeing her as Lily, Vayntrub was increasingly drawn to projects that allowed her to express her creativity on a larger scale. Every new role meant more time away from the role that had defined her for so long.

Outside of acting, Milana Vayntrub's passion for activism has played a tremendous part in her story. As someone who arrived in the U.S. as a child refugee from Uzbekistan, she has a personal connection to global humanitarian issues. Over the years, Vayntrub has spoke out about refugee crises, with a particular focus on displaced Syrian families. In a 2016 interview with NBC News, she discussed her stance on the issue, stating, "I think a lot of Americans forget that they are not originally from here, that somebody in their past was a refugee." She used her platform not only to spread awareness but to actively advocate for compassion and assistance, even shooting a short documentary and setting up Can't Do Nothing, a website aimed at raising refugee relief funds.

Her social media, too, became a platform where she shares heartfelt posts that offer an intimate look into her humanitarian side. In one Instagram post, she encouraged her followers to support refugees through a bed fund, while in another she even took to defending women's rights. As her activism took on a life of its own, it became clear that it was her calling. 

"My hope is that if you see someone doing good, you might want to do some good, too," she said InStyle (via Yahoo! Life). "And if we inspire each other, we can create a ripple effect of good." You may not see her in as many AT&T ads these days, but Vayntrub continues to devote her time to important causes.

In 2020, after the global pandemic shut down many TV and movie productions, the industry scrambled to try to figure out its next move. This meant there was a lot less work to go around for actors. On top of that, Milana Vayntrub suffered a severe ankle injury that left her temporarily immobile. Reflecting on her experience with the injury, she shared in the Daily Beast, "I injured my ankle so badly I couldn't move a toe. The slightest twitch sent a paralyzing bolt through my leg." 

It was a difficult and uncertain time for many, and Vayntrub worked with her producer to try to figure out what her next step might be. After tossing around a few possible options, she realized it was time to bring back a beloved character she had not played for three years. "We came up with this idea of pitching something where Lily comes back and she works at home. They came back and said, 'Sure, let's try it,'" she dished on a 2023 episode of "Alicyn's Wonderland." And that is how Vayntrub not only revived Lily, but ended up filming AT&T ads at her house in the middle of the pandemic.

While she certainly has a lot of adoring fans, the actor who plays Lily in the AT&T ads has attracted a darker side of online attention. Over time, Milana Vayntrub tragically became the target of harassment, often sexual in nature, as certain corners of the internet fixated on her physical appearance. It all reached fever pitch in 2020. "All of these comments — it hurts my feelings," she said in an Instagram Live at the time (via Variety). "I'm hurting and it's bringing up, like, a lot of feelings of sexual assault." The relentless scrutiny forced her to face a side of fame few prepare for.

Social media platforms only amplified the issue, with certain users circulating manipulated images that turned her into an unwilling symbol of internet objectification. "I am just like, you know, walking my dog and getting messages from people who have distorted my pictures to get likes on their accounts," she said in the aforementioned IG Live. 

On a 2022 episode of "Katie's Crib," Vayntrub reflected on how scary being a public figure had become. "I was like receiving death threats from trolls online," she said. "For existing, for being a woman, for becoming a meme. I'm not really sure what happened, but all of a sudden I started getting the attention of just a lot of gross men. And you know, I just felt so unsafe in the world for a variety of reasons." Understandably, she felt a need to get away from the spotlight. As she told Katie Lowes, "I kind of went underground a little bit."

AT&T also took issue with the lewd comments made about Milana Vayntrub online. The company even began disabling the comment section on posts featuring the spokesperson to try to curb the harassment. AT&T also released a statement to address the inappropriate behavior directed at their ad campaign star. "We will not tolerate the inappropriate comments and harassment of Milana Vayntrub, the talented actor that portrays Lily in our ads. We have disabled or deleted these comments on our social content that includes Lily and we will continue to fight to support her and our values" (via The New York Times).

Vayntrub also received support from another commercial star, Flo from Progressive. As noted in The New York Times, actor Stephanie Courtney reached out to Vayntrub in the wake of the harassment. Vayntrub told the outlet that her conversation with Courtney made her feel "like there were people on my team." 

After Lily made her comeback in 2020, Vayntrub continued to film AT&T commercials. However, as Vayntrub and AT&T moved forward, Lily wasn't as ubiquitous as she once was. 

In 2021, Milana Vayntrub embraced a new role: motherhood. Her transition into this phase of life marked a shift in priorities, as she took a step back from the demands of her career to focus on her family. Though she's offered her IG followers some glimpses into her personal life, she's made an effort to maintain some level of privacy: Vayntrub has not shared the names of her child or her husband.

In one heartfelt Instagram post, Vayntrub reflected on motherhood nine months postpartum, writing that she had "gained 30 new superpowers," citing being able to "operate on superhuman minimal sleep" and a "growing compassion for everyone" as a few. Appearing on the "How The F*** Did You Bounce Back?" podcast in 2022, she also mentioned how much it meant to maintain a healthy relationship with her husband, sharing, "We're just better parents when our couple needs are being met, when our individual needs are being met."

Her journey into motherhood wasn't about leaving her career entirely, but about finding balance and allowing herself the space to be fully engaged in her family life. "The complicated thing is that I both want to spend all of every minute with him, and I also am very grateful when I have time away, so it's complicated." For Vayntrub, being a mother was a priority that brought a different kind of purpose, redefining her focus and placing her career on a more selective path.

As previously noted, Milana Vayntrub began directing some of AT&T's commercials. In 2020, when everyone was still quarantining due to the pandemic, Vayntrub brought Lily back to the small screen with ads she filmed at home. These would be the first of a handful of AT&T spots helmed by the actor. 

As Vayntrub pointed out on social media, going behind the camera has allowed her to have more control over how she is presented in the ads. "Been getting a lot of 'why are they placing her body like that in those ads?' I place myself like that. And it's because of the thousands of unwelcome comments I receive about my body," she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in 2021. "You've lost the privilege of looking at it until I feel safe again." Her work behind the scenes wasn't limited to AT&T, either; she directed for other brands, showcasing her versatility by working with brands like the Make a Wish Foundation and Cracker Barrel Cheese.

This evolution marked a natural progression for Vayntrub, whose interests extended beyond acting. By shifting to a more occasional role, she kept her ties to Lily alive while allowing herself the freedom to pursue other passions. Fans still caught glimpses of her familiar character, but her appearances became a rare treat rather than a constant, reflecting a new chapter where Vayntrub had more control over her persona and professional life.

On an August 2024 episode of "Trash Tuesday," Milana Vayntrub hinted that her days of playing Lily were behind her. "I'm no longer doing the AT&T commercials. That's been kind of a chapter end. I think 10 years is kind of a nice benchmark," she said.

A few months later, she also left Instagram. After the election, Vayntrub announced on the social media platform that she wouldn't be posting for a while, writing, "Taking a break from this app." She also locked the comment section on the post. While the choice was presumably related to the fraught political climate, there is no question that Vayntrub's been subjected to a lot of negative online behavior over the years. As previously noted, she's long grappled with the inappropriate attention on social media and beyond. "Maybe it just has to do with being a person on the internet, or maybe it's specific to being a woman on the internet," she said in a 2020 Instagram livestream (via Deadline). Who could blame her for wanting to log out?

Unfortunately, taking a break from social media can only do so much. Right about when she announced she would logging out of IG for a while, Vayntrub appeared on an episode of "After Midnight" where she talked about people pretending to be her online. She shared that one imposter even joined her actual family's Facebook group. "[The imposter] posted a photo of me and asked my cousins if they'd like to marry me," she said. Yikes.

Though she may be done with Lily, Milana Vayntrub only continues to stay busy. In 2024, she took on the role of prosecutor Pam Bozanich in "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story." She was in two episodes of the miniseries. "These were some of the most awe-inspiring performances I've been lucky enough to witness," she wrote on Instagram. "And playing Pam under the direction of Michael Uppendahl and Ian Brennan was an awesome learning experience. The costumes by Paula Bradley were the best!"

As for what's next? Vayntrub is reportedly slated to appear in a 2026 feature film helmed by Phil Lord and Christoper Miller. This project, adapted from Andy Weir's "Project Hail Mary," is also set to star Oscar nominees Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller. Beyond her work on camera, Milana Vayntrub debuted "Your Mom is a Podcast" in 2024, a comedic and conversational series she co-produces and hosts alongside comedian Sandeep Parikh. The project highlights her versatility, and with its early success, it's expected to remain a staple in her creative lineup for some time.

Vayntrub is likely treating this period as a rebirth of sorts — a chance to redefine her career on her terms, blending activism, acting, and directing into a cohesive vision. Whether on screen or behind the scenes, her career is far from over, and audiences can look forward to seeing her next chapter unfold.