Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
I’m elated that NBC’s This Is Us is returning tomorrow night with brand new episodes. It’s not only one of my favorite new shows of the season, but the sentimental drama has filled that gaping Parenthood-sized hole in my viewing schedule. Of all the gifts the series has bestowed upon its viewers (superb storytelling, unpredictability, Mandy Moore!), none excite me more than Milana Vayntrub’s recurring role as Sloane Sandburg.
Never heard of Vayntrub? Think again. Best known for her ubiquitous AT&T commercials, you’ve undoubtedly seen the actress while patiently waiting for your favorite show to return from commercial break. One of the most entertaining ad campaigns in recent memory, the humor that pervades Vayntrub’s character, the charming Lily Adams, is no accident. A veteran of improv comedy, Milana studied at the Upright Citizens Brigade and worked on a number of comedic videos, including College Humor’s Jake and Amir, before bursting onto the scene as everyone’s favorite AT&T spokeswoman.
What do you say? Let’s all get a little better acquainted with the endearing comedy gem known as Milana Vayntrub!
Let’s Talk About Something More Interesting (2011)
This subtly delightful YouTube series was my first introduction to the quick-witted humor of Vayntrub. Milana and her cohost Stevie Nelson — an immensely talented actress who can currently be seen on the Nickelodeon series Crashletes — are a wonderful caldron of simmering awkwardness as the two evoke the uncomfortable comedy of Between Two Ferns. The palpable chemistry between Vayntrub and Nelson creates a plethora of laugh out loud moments as the web series was able to nab a number of high-profile guests like Matt Damon, Bob Odenkirk, and BJ Novak.
[Watch Let’s Talk About Something More Interesting on YouTube]
Lily Adams AT&T (2013)
Fun fact: Most commercials suck! Unless you’re making me cry while I chew some delicious Extra gum and rethink every single one of my romantic decisions, I’m playing Words with Friends and ignoring your attempts to sell me breakfast sandwiches and weather resilient tires.
But thanks to Vayntrub’s cheery, awkward humor, her AT&T ads do the impossible: They entertain you while selling you on the virtues of their product. At this point, I view Milana’s ebullient Lily Adams character less as a spokesperson and more as an actress on a long-running AT&T sitcom.
Other Space (2015)
Vayntrub’s comedic gifts are on display in Paul Feig’s wonderfully absurd Yahoo! Screen series Other Space. Exuding a fun NewsRadio meets a bizarro world Star Trek vibe, the high-concept sitcom follows the intergalactic misadventures of a ragtag crew of endearingly flawed individuals in space. Vayntrub’s performance as eccentric (and often clueless) navigator Tina Shukshin — which was a perfect platform for the actress’ incredible improv skills and stellar comedic timing — was a breakout role in a series full of sensational comedic performances.
[Watch Other Space on Yahoo! Screen]
This Is Us (2016)
With previous appearances on Netflix’s Love, Silicon Valley, and The League, Vayntrub is no stranger to the cozy confines of television, but she’s capturing the hearts of her widest audience yet with her portrayal of writer Sloane Sandburg on NBC’s freshman drama This Is Us. Appearing in a recurring role, Milana uses her prodigious comedy background to imbue each scene in which she appears with understated hahas. We’re hoping her burgeoning romantic relationship with Kevin (Justin Hartley) is more than just a fling as Vayntrub has made an indelible addition to the rookie NBC series.
