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Barry Shore welcomes actress, comedian, and creator Milana Vayntrub to The Joy of Living for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, creativity, and what it truly means to live well.
Milana opens up about immigrating from Uzbekistan to the United States at age two, growing up with one foot in each culture, and how that experience shaped her deep sense of empathy and her understanding of what it means to be an outsider. She reflects on the privilege of ordinary worries, sharing her insight that we are so lucky to take being alive for granted, a thought that reframes everyday stress as a form of abundance.
The conversation turns to creativity and self-worth, as Milana describes how she came to understand at nineteen that physical appeal alone was never going to be a foundation for meaningful relationships. Instead, she invested in her personality, her humor, and her genuine connection with others, finding those qualities not only more fulfilling but more lasting.
Barry and Milana also explore the joy of small acts of kindness, like picking up a dropped tape measure on a morning dog walk, and how those tiny moments of human contact are where real joy lives. Throughout the episode, Barry weaves in his signature acronyms and the core philosophy of the show: that joy is essential to living well and doing good in the world.
Listeners will come away inspired to look for the good, lean into their creativity, and embrace humor as a channel of genuine connection. Milana Vayntrub is an actress, comedian, director, and activist best known for her role in AT&T commercials and her work across film, television, and YouTube.
Show Notes:
- Finding the Good in Everyday Life — Milana shares her natural desire to look for opportunities to help others and the fulfillment that comes from small acts of kindness.
- The Privilege of Being Alive — She reflects on her powerful statement, “We’re so lucky to take being alive for granted,” and how everyday worries can distract us from appreciating life.
- Growing Up Between Cultures — Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Milana discusses immigrating to America at age two and experiencing life between two cultures.
- Redefining Self-Worth — Milana explains how she moved beyond society’s emphasis on physical appearance and discovered greater value in creativity, humor, and meaningful connections.
- Creativity as a Source of Connection — She discusses using creativity and humor to build deeper, more fulfilling relationships and conversations.
- Humor, Joy & Helping Others — The conversation explores how humor, kindness, and creativity can bring people together and spread goodness in the world.
- Living Joyfully — Barry and Milana emphasize appreciating life, recognizing the good around us, and finding ways to bring more joy to other people.
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About Milana Vayntrub
Milana Vayntrub is an Uzbekistan-born director, writer, and actor whose work blends sharp comedic timing with genuine heart—and often, a healthy dose of weird.
Her unique blend of humor and heart has helped create successful campaigns for companies such as AT&T, Voya, CeraVe and (most impressively) Cracker Barrel Cheese.
The UCB alum began her career making her own digital content, including viral content for YouTube and CollegeHumor. Along with her work behind the camera, Milana has appeared in numerous film and television roles, and is widely known for her portrayal as Lily, the eternally enthusiastic AT&T employee, appearing in over 40 spots as a spokesperson for the brand.
As a former refugee herself, Milana is a vocal activist for immigrants’ rights. Her award-winning documentary Can’t Do Nothing, which follows Syrian refugees landing on Greek shores, captured the world’s attention in 2016. The film spotlighted the European migrant crisis, sparked a social media movement, and helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in refugee aid.
Today, Milana continues to focus on telling stories about immigrant communities, making people laugh, and raising a kid in a world that’s safe, equitable, and truly weird.
Her short film Pickled Herring premiered at the 2023 Indy Shorts International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Choice Award. In March 2025, she premiered her latest short Booties at the Cinequest Film Festival, where it won Best Narrative Short Film: Comedy. In May, it was awarded Best Rom-Com at the HollyShorts Comedy Festival.
