“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.
However, as the years rolled on, commercial watchers started seeing less ads featuring Vayntrub’s Lily.
Her portrayal was disarming, bringing a girl-next-door charm to the brand that felt natural.
Far from just a commercial actor or brand spokesperson, Vayntrub’s resume features a wide range of performances.
“I did a commercial for a phone company when I was five,” she toldEsquirein 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.
Every new role meant more time away from the role that had defined her for so long.
As her activism took on a life of its own, it became clear that it was her calling.
“And if we inspire each other, we can create a ripple effect of good.”
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.
The slightest twitch sent a paralyzing bolt through my leg."
“We came up with this idea of pitching something where Lily comes back and she works at home.
“I was like receiving death threats from trolls online,” she said.
“For existing, for being a woman, for becoming a meme.
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.”
After Lily made her comeback in 2020, Vayntrub continued to film AT&T commercials.
Appearing on the"How The F*** Did You Bounce Back?
These would be the first of a handful of AT&T spots helmed by the actor.
This evolution marked a natural progression for Vayntrub, whose interests extended beyond acting.
“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 leftInstagram.
She also locked the comment section on the post.
As previously noted, she’s long grappled with the inappropriate attention on social media and beyond.
Who could blame her for wanting to bounce?
Unfortunately, taking a break from social media can only do so much.
She shared that one imposter even joined her actual family’s Facebook group.
She was in two episodes of the miniseries.
“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.
