0:00

Milana: I guess I had a little bit of a crush on George Clooney when I knew him, but only because he's really really magnetic.

0:06

Milana: But I was also a child and he was in his 30s, you know.

0:09

Milana: So I really just wanted him to like be a friend.

0:11

Milana: I wanted him to like come over. Announcer: Welcome to story in craft.

0:16

Announcer: Now, here's your host, Marc Preston.

0:18

Marc: Well, hello, how are you? Marc: I am Marc Preston.

0:21

Marc: Yes, back for another episode of story in craft.

0:24

Marc: It has been a moment, has it not? Marc: I have gotten the emails.

0:27

Marc: I appreciate it. Marc: I certainly appreciate those who have reached out asking what's going on.

0:33

Marc: Why haven't you been on for a few weeks, been on a little bit of a hiatus, had some projects to work on, some things to Knock out, also some studio upgrades, getting some things set up to better bring you the best quality stuff I can.

0:47

Marc: Also took some time to just kind of do some family stuff.

0:51

Marc: I we had of a golden retriever, a wonderful little guy, buddy, who got sick and so kind of focused on him for a few weeks and Family stuff.

1:02

Marc: You know big dog lovers in this family and unfortunately buddy left us a few weeks ago.

1:08

Marc: So just kind of bouncing back from family and work and all that kind of stuff and wanted to really ramp up and prep some cool things that are coming up with story in craft and Certainly again appreciate the emails I received and those who have reached out asking what's up, dude, where are you?

1:26

Marc: Well, i'm here. Marc: I'm back this week.

1:29

Marc: Milana Vayntrub You probably know her as Lily on the AT&T commercials.

1:35

Marc: But she's had a really great career on camera film TV, stretching all the way back to when she was a little girl, i think five or something like that, when she was doing commercials.

1:44

Marc: She was on ER back when she was, i think, eight.

1:48

Marc: But she's got a great career, a great conversation.

1:51

Marc: Really cool to have her stop by and just have a quick chat.

1:55

Marc: Really jazzed to be able to bring you this conversation.

1:58

Marc: And don't forget anything, everything you could possibly want to know about story and craft.

2:04

Marc: Guess what It's its story and craft pod Com.

2:07

Marc: Sign up for the newsletter and, as always, you can find story and craft on pretty much anywhere.

2:14

Marc: You get your podcasts. Marc: Just make sure to like, follow.

2:19

Marc: Give all the stars. Marc: You can most certainly appreciate it.

2:23

Marc: Most certainly appreciate you being here right now.

2:26

Marc: Of course, this episode, we're gonna dedicate it to my good buddy buddy.

2:31

Marc: Of course he usually was in the studio with me while I did every episode and interview And of course, gonna miss him, most certainly.

2:39

Marc: So we're dedicating this to the faithful golden retriever that Was our buddy.

2:44

Marc: So there you go, an episode just for him. Marc: But right now it is Milana vine-trub day, right here on story and craft.

2:54

Marc: We're yet today, like you're in LA, correct.

2:57

Milana: I am. Milana: I'm in a barren dressing room, i'm in a sad empty space with nothing but a router, but, but, but.

3:06

Milana: The Wi-Fi connection is strong, and that's all that matters.

3:10

Marc: Exactly. Marc: yeah, you know, it's so funny that people think that things are, you know, on a set or Production or so sexy and well put together.

3:17

Marc: a lot of times It's just the most random corner They may stick in.

3:21

Milana: Yeah, you get a little bit of both. Milana: Sometimes you don't even get your own room.

3:25

Marc: Sometimes you get a room share with a bunch of people now I do appreciate you taking time out, especially since you know You're.

3:30

Marc: You're obviously staying pretty busy. Marc: And, by the way, i have to kind of get out of the way.

3:33

Marc: My oldest daughter's name is Lily and so I have to go the total dad joke thing.

3:38

Marc: Every time your spot comes on the AT&T spots I'm like, hey, lily, it's Lily, it's been that she's almost 20 now, so it's kind of like the old-school dad joke.

3:45

Marc: So she's like, okay, i get it.

3:48

Marc: So she just tolerates my weird sense of humor.

3:50

Marc: But you're the only Lily, that's that.

3:54

Milana: Where there can only be one. Milana: You know, that is true.

4:00

Marc: Yeah it's kind of like a professional athlete.

4:02

Marc: You know when that series of commercials one day ends, they're gonna like retire your number.

4:06

Marc: There can no longer be another Lily, you know. Marc: So it'll be.

4:08

Milana: You know, the only one not ever, not on TV at least, but we will allow your daughter to continue using the name.

4:16

Marc: Well, you know, i well you. Marc: It's spelled the same way I I'll I'll.

4:20

Marc: Why you know. Marc: So, now you, you live in LA.

4:23

Marc: Now, are you from LA originally? Milana: I grew up in LA.

4:26

Milana: I grew up in West Hollywood. Milana: There's a very dense immigrant community where I was raised and So I had a lot of that influence in my life.

4:41

Milana: But I'm originally from Uzbekistan and my family immigrated when I was I Don't know the number keeps changing, the date is very fluid but I was about two and a half three years old when we got to LA and, yeah, we Made it our home and we stayed and I'm very grateful that, of all the places to land, we landed in LA.

5:01

Marc: Well, i mean, la has such a good, no matter where you come from, you're going to find part of your tribe there, you know which is nice.

5:09

Milana: I've spent something kind of similar about LA that there really is something there for everybody.

5:14

Marc: You Well being a member of our respective tribe.

5:18

Announcer: Are you talking about Jews? Marc: Yes, ma'am, And I'm cryptic sometimes.

5:23

Marc: I apologize. Milana: The entertainment industry could be a tribe.

5:26

Marc: Oh yeah, i'm sometimes more on the outskirts of the tribe.

5:30

Marc: They let me come to some meetings occasionally, but no, being from Dallas, texas, there was a lot of Russian Jews during the, i want to say, late, mid-late 80s to early 90s.

5:42

Marc: There was massive influx And my family is originally from Odessa in Ukraine, and the motivation for leaving probably was very similar.

5:51

Marc: I'm sure. Marc: What do your folks do? Marc: What was the?

5:56

Marc: what's your mother and father do, or what did they do?

5:59

Milana: My mom now works in healthcare and like home health and hospice And my dad has a little restaurant.

6:11

Milana: But growing up they had all sorts of different jobs.

6:16

Milana: My mom has kind of been a nurse for most of my childhood There was a little stint of her having a flower shop And my dad has had literally every job that an immigrant can have for being somebody who refuses to learn the language.

6:31

Milana: So he was like a plumber and he delivered doughnuts And he was a handyman And now he's kind of found his thing.

6:41

Marc: You know it's funny. Marc: I was my first experience meeting somebody who is Jewish who immigrated from Russia.

6:50

Marc: Was God when was this? Marc: Roughly 1993, 1994.

6:54

Marc: I remember them, i was for a press junket. Marc: I was.

6:57

Marc: I remember I stayed the four seasons Beverly Hills And I flew out there and I needed to get back to the airport And this really nice fella picked me up in a cab back before Uber And we're going.

7:09

Marc: And I find out that he's actually was a surgeon in Russia, but to get all of his licenses and everything to be able to practice in America was a real process.

7:19

Marc: So in the interim he was driving a cab. Milana: It's a very common story.

7:24

Marc: Really. Milana: Yeah, i see it so often with people who were professors back in Egypt and here are driving Ubers And yeah, it is bizarre that a lot of the skills don't transfer because of logistics.

7:42

Milana: Like you know, you can understand medicine in, you know in Ukrainian, but you don't understand medicine Because the body is different, because the Ukrainian body and an American body are so different.

7:54

Milana: But it is you know.

7:57

Milana: And then you really have to think about what those people went through, how bad it had to be for them to drop their education and all of their credentials, and you know however many letters they had after their name to come to the States and start over.

8:14

Marc: Well, how hard was that for you growing up?

8:17

Marc: I've always wondered what this was like when you have parents who their first language is certainly not English.

8:22

Marc: But here you are growing up in an English-speaking world, but when you come home, did that create any issues for you when you were young?

8:30

Marc: I mean, was that kind of a? Marc: was it a challenge for you at all?

8:33

Milana: Yeah, yes, i also do consider myself really lucky because I had an incredibly proactive mom who, although only spoke Russian to me at home, really made sure that my life was full of extracurricular activities and, you know, work the night shift so that I could take acting classes and dance and gymnastics and all of the things that kind of helped me practice my socialization and Americanize me.

9:08

Milana: But yes, at home we only spoke Russian And that did kind of keep one foot in each door for me.

9:17

Marc: Having folks who came over what in the world kind of motivated them to say hey this entertainment industry thing.

9:23

Marc: This is acting. Marc: This is cool. Marc: Or was that your decision to jump in when you were young?

9:28

Milana: Well, i don't think it had any part.

9:30

Milana: I don't think entertainment had any part in them coming over.

9:33

Milana: We came over because this is just where we knew people.

9:36

Marc: Oh, no, no, no, i meant like once you were here and they're looking for activities and things for you to do?

9:42

Marc: was that, this for them? Marc: was that, like you mentioned, gymnastics?

9:45

Marc: was that, like mothers, like? Milana: oh, you know acting. Marc: Maybe that's a thing too.

9:48

Milana: Yeah, i just was a really talkative loudmouth And my teachers couldn't keep me quiet And my mom was like how do we profit off of this?

10:01

Milana: My mom was actually an actress in Uzbekistan.

10:04

Milana: There was like maybe three films made in Uzbekistan in the 70s And she was in one of them, and so she really had aspirations of being an actress And I never felt pressured to do it.

10:20

Milana: It was always the kind of thing that I was drawn to.

10:24

Milana: It was very magnetic for me and also the most fun, like I loved being on sets.

10:28

Milana: I even loved auditions. Milana: I loved hanging out with the other girls that were my age and becoming friends.

10:33

Milana: One of the girls that I met when I was five at an audition is still one of my best friends.

10:39

Milana: So definitely I had my mother's influence, but never pressure.

10:45

Marc: So you're the kid who is very. Marc: What's the phrase that they would use these days?

10:52

Milana: Extraverted. Marc: No, no, no, no, That would be a very Butterfly.

10:57

Marc: No, it's whenever they try to talk about a kid who's just kind of generally a pan of the ass.

11:03

Marc: But I literally just turned 50 yesterday. Marc: So I think that short term memory thing is like gone.

11:08

Marc: My age is. Marc: Happy birthday. Marc: Well, thank you.

11:10

Marc: Thank you, I mean, it's like I'm feeling like I read something yesterday.

11:14

Marc: I shouldn't have read it yesterday. Marc: So I said you're getting older, your short term memory starts disappearing or something.

11:18

Marc: I'm like God, did it already start? Milana: How did you celebrate your birthday?

11:22

Marc: How to celebrate. Marc: You know, my two oldest are at you're in college here And my youngest, my 17 year old.

11:29

Marc: we went to Whole Foods, got something, came home, cooked something, hung out, got a little birthday cake thing.

11:34

Marc: Just we took it really chill. Marc: So because this weekend we're all going to get together to celebrate, i'm going to try to do the pescetarian thing.

11:44

Marc: I'm trying it. Marc: So I'm going to kick it off at a sushi restaurant.

11:47

Marc: But the precocious that's the word I'm looking for precocious.

11:52

Marc: Were you a precocious kid. Marc: That's the best way to put it.

11:55

Milana: Yeah, I was really curious and talkative and a pain in the ass.

12:01

Marc: But isn't that a great? Marc: isn't this a great outlet, though?

12:03

Marc: acting, isn't it kind of just like you get to play with you know?

12:07

Marc: I don't know. Marc: I did a couple things as a kid actor and then I put it on hold for 15 years or so, but to me, being on a set was I was deeply entranced by everything, all the moving parts.

12:19

Marc: I was more interested in the stuff behind the camera than I was in front.

12:23

Marc: So what was it like, as when you were young, what was keeping you intrigued by the gig?

12:28

Marc: Were you doing commercials? Marc: Were you doing on camera?

12:30

Marc: What were you up to back then? Marc: I mean, were you doing commercials Or were you doing like TV and film?

12:35

Milana: as a question, I did a little bit of TV and film and I did a lot of commercials And it was very energizing to me, like I would start bouncing off the walls when I was on a set because I was so happy to be there And I loved every part of it.

12:55

Milana: I loved getting my makeup done, like a little girl sitting in a makeup chair is fun And I loved being around adults and the kids, but I had so many questions for everybody, though I'm sure were inappropriate and annoying, but I also I mean, part of the truth is I liked being the center of attention And that's what child actors are.

13:26

Marc: Is it still like that though? Marc: Do you still enjoy being in the makeup chair?

13:29

Marc: I think, as an adult, probably enjoy. Marc: I found the makeup trailer is a very wonderful gossip, den, so is it still fun for you?

13:38

Milana: Well, now makeup feels like a thing you just got to do to do the fun part, although a lot of the times the makeup artist is a good friend and that is just an opportunity to catch up.

13:49

Milana: But yes, it feels makeup feels less fun.

13:54

Milana: Dressing up feels a little bit less fun Because the actual work is the highlight for me now.

14:01

Marc: When was the transition when you kind of were doing some commercial work And you started moving into more and more film, more TV?

14:09

Marc: Was that college-ish or just shortly after you were in college?

14:16

Milana: No, i wasn't really acting in any TV.

14:22

Milana: I did one TV gig when I was in high school, i want to say.

14:28

Milana: And then I just did college theater, which and I did that full time I did short films here and there that were local filmmakers were doing, or 48-hour film festival kind of stuff.

14:42

Milana: But I just started actually I didn't think I was going to be an actor.

14:50

Milana: I just started doing theater in college to battle depression.

14:55

Milana: Honestly, i wanted a creative outlet and I wanted to be around other creative weirdos And I wanted something to do after school and after work.

15:05

Milana: So I just auditioned for a couple shows and really got entrenched in the theater program And I went to UC San Diego, which I didn't know this even when I applied, because I had no intention of doing theater when I applied.

15:19

Milana: But they have an incredible theater program.

15:22

Milana: Well, because of the La Jolla Playhouse and the Old Globe Theater, there's a lot of great theater directors that come through And the La Jolla Playhouse I'm not sure if you know, but it's launched a lot of shows that have gone to Broadway.

15:37

Milana: So yeah, and the La Jolla Playhouse is on the UCSD campus And so I just got to assist directors and direct my own little student plays, and that's when I really got the feeling of collaboration.

15:59

Milana: How beautiful collaboration is, how beautiful creative contribution is, the power of art, the power of story, what it can do for other people, and then also just how good it feels on my brain to be in generation, to be generating, see you.

16:29

Marc: Well, you brought up something I thought is really interesting.

16:31

Marc: I'd love for you to kind of elaborate.

16:33

Marc: But you said it is a means of battling depression And I've never of all the people I've spoken with, I've never really had somebody articulated like that.

16:44

Marc: I'm just kind of curious about how that came together, for you to think, oh, this is something I can do.

16:49

Marc: that's actually, like you said, going to feel good on your brain.

16:51

Marc: How did that come together? Milana: I think there's two separate bits.

16:55

Milana: One is that it's a very social activity that you kind of have to make friends, you kind of have to have deeper conversations.

17:03

Milana: You spend many, many hours together in rehearsal and then everyone goes and grabs bites together.

17:09

Milana: So it's where I made a lot of my closest friends And I needed more of that social And I needed a creative outlet.

17:18

Milana: I knew that I needed to be doing something other than studying and working.

17:29

Milana: So play, theater and acting and directing it all feels like a form of play which is really really healthy And one of the scientific proof.

17:43

Milana: There's scientific proof around the benefit of improv, where it's this time for a person to turn off their frontal cortex or maybe turn it down, where the part of our brain that we use to apologize and analyze ourselves and watch ourselves actually becomes a lot less useful during improv and during play.

18:08

Milana: And so I needed less like doing theater in a way actually made me less self-conscious.

18:18

Milana: So there's that side, there's the science and the social, and then also there is, i think, that that science is the thing that happens for me when I'm directing And I think also when I'm improvising.

18:32

Milana: But there's like a problem solving. Milana: You kind of have to be present, because you are just actively listening and problem solving, you're just putting together a puzzle.

18:45

Milana: So that feeling and that task feels really nurturing for my head.

18:56

Marc: Oh, I love that, I really do. Marc: I mean, I've been coaching voiceover for 20, just over 20 years And one of the things some students are a little bit more difficult than others to kind of get the idea across, but the idea that words are powered by emotion And you kind of have to get your I call it your thinky side out of the way.

19:15

Marc: You know, and maybe you're much more in a more eloquent scientific way, kind of elaborated and like I'm very intrigued now by that.

19:21

Marc: But yeah, I think it's, you can whatever's going on in your life, can't you also just kind of tune it out while you're playing with other people?

19:29

Marc: So, no matter what's going on externally, you can kind of at least depart for a moment.

19:33

Marc: So I kind of found that to be somewhat therapeutic over the years at times.

19:38

Marc: But you mentioned directing. Marc: Was that like stage stuff or were you directing like the 48 hour film festival type of things?

19:47

Marc: What kind of projects were you putting together?

19:51

Milana: Student plays at first, which was amazing and so fun and good for me.

19:58

Milana: And then I got to assist a few of the bigger directors that came into town And one of them took me to New York with him to assist And I really got a sense of what theater is like in the big Apple.

20:14

Milana: And but really I think the biggest takeaway is that theater, especially in college, is just like all hands on deck Everybody's doing everything and you learn so much and you everyone benefits from a group dynamic and from creating.

20:31

Milana: So when I graduated and I decided to act and I wanted to act right and direct I realized that a lot of it requires begging people for opportunities And I hadn't been doing that in college because I was just always able to make.

20:51

Milana: So I started to just make things out in the world.

20:57

Milana: That was the. Milana: That was the biggest skill that college gave me wasn't necessarily any class, it was the ability to generate.

21:06

Marc: Now were you a good student, though, or I mean outside of theater.

21:08

Marc: we know you're a good theater student, so you're just.

21:11

Milana: No, i wasn't. Milana: I wasn't even a good theater student.

21:13

Milana: I was. Milana: I was a good performer. Milana: I was like I was.

21:17

Milana: I learned my lines and I showed up on time and I did the work.

21:21

Milana: But I was never a good student in anything really Maybe in math.

21:25

Milana: I was like I had a period where I was a good math student, but that didn't last very long.

21:29

Marc: Oh, for me, no, neither My. Marc: My kids talk about pre-calculus and You know it's really sobering when your kids surpass a time like where you like I got nothing for you.

21:38

Marc: I can't help you, you know so it's like a big joke.

21:41

Marc: My daughter will tell me what she's working on at college. Marc: I'm like you need any help on that, cause she knows I'm of no use whatsoever, you know.

21:47

Milana: Yeah, well, i think what's interesting about that?

21:49

Milana: I mean, i have a kid now too and I've been thinking a lot about his education and what kind of experiences I want to impart.

21:59

Milana: And I am, and my husband and I differ here because he has his masters and I never got good grades in anything, so I'm like I don't really care if he goes to college.

22:12

Milana: Why would he ever need to know pre-calculus, unless he's really excited about you know, unless he wants to be a physicist?

22:19

Milana: Yeah. Marc: I'm the exact same way.

22:22

Marc: I think it's so ridiculous that you force kids and it's really advanced math Now if they have an aptitude for it or a desire or career they want to do or go into, that needs, that Yeah.

22:31

Marc: But it's like I feel like all I did is push my GPA down.

22:34

Marc: I mean I could have stopped at algebra and been good. Marc: I don't even know if I've used algebra in the last 30 years, so but that's.

22:41

Milana: It's not applicable. Milana: I find it to be not applicable And I find the regurgitation to be useless as well, when they could be spending their time learning something that would benefit them or that just or just would make them more interesting.

22:57

Milana: Like it doesn't have to be. Milana: You don't have to spend that time learning how to file your taxes, which would be a very useful skill, But it could just be like astrology, It could just be whatever it is you're weirdly interested in.

23:10

Milana: Spend that time. Milana: Invest your life in the things that are interesting to you is my TED talk.

23:16

Marc: I think we're moving in that direction a little bit. Marc: I mean, when you look at how much college is costing and how little return on investment people are ultimately getting from it, And like my kids, I'm glad because they're getting actual professors.

23:28

Marc: But when I was in college I remember teaching assistants were teaching a lot of the classes.

23:32

Marc: I'm like I kind of felt like, well, I'm paying for a professor, Why shouldn't I?

23:36

Announcer: Yeah. Marc: What was your favorite part about living in San Diego?

23:38

Marc: I'm just kind of curious. Marc: Somebody used to live there. Marc: Where did you like to hang out out there?

23:42

Milana: Um, I think it's just the beach. Milana: I lived at Wendon Sea for a second.

23:47

Marc: Oh, okay, Well, that's up and like that's up in the North County right.

23:50

Milana: Yeah, And I spent. Milana: It's close to Encinitas And I spent.

23:56

Milana: You know, my rent was $450. Milana: I had a boyfriend at the time and we shared a room and, um, and we had another roommate and my rent was so cheap and I lived at the beach, I could make a cup of coffee and take it with me on the beach and it would still be hot.

24:14

Marc: My, i had a dog and we did the exact same thing, man, and we did something about, like, i love the San Diego beaches, you know.

24:20

Milana: But Oh, and the dog beaches are hilarious.

24:24

Milana: I didn't have a dog, but I would go and just watch the dogs play because they were living their best lives.

24:30

Marc: Oh, i still remember there's a place called surf dogs Java hut, right across from Hanson surf shop, right on the 101.

24:36

Marc: And I'd always go in there and get my coffee and go, you know, hang out on the beach.

24:40

Marc: And uh, that a lot of people had the bond, not bonfires but campfires, they had the little setup.

24:45

Marc: You know it's like how cool is that hanging out? Marc: Like if you're in high school, you know, you go out with your friends hang out at the beach, you know.

24:52

Marc: But so, progression wise, you're out of college.

24:55

Marc: Are you working a civilian job or are you just putting yourself in every situation you can, to, to, to, to act?

25:03

Milana: Both. Milana: I got a job as a, i was a hostess and a waitress and I worked at a smoothie bar and I was a nanny.

25:12

Milana: and some jobs lasted longer than others, but that was my gig while I was going on auditions here and there, booking a few commercials, a few web series, like little things, here and there.

25:30

Marc: Were you back in Los Angeles at this point in time? Milana: Yes, I came back to Los Angeles after doing a play in New York and came back to LA and just figuring out how to stay above water and pay my rent And then I realized that the only way I was going to have any kind of success in my life is if I made my own anything.

25:55

Milana: And this was around the time where YouTube was really becoming a thing.

26:00

Milana: And I had a few friends from UCB, the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, who I credit with my success and I still think is I mean UCB theater.

26:11

Marc: Oh, you studied at UCB. Milana: I did yeah.

26:13

Marc: Oh, okay. Milana: Yeah, when I came back to LA, i had a friend take me there and I thought it was absolutely magic and I signed up for classes and I've done their whole program and I would do it again and I love performing there.

26:27

Milana: I really think it's. Milana: It's the only piece of advice I would give every actor is to study improv And so, yes, so I lived next to UCB theater.

26:44

Milana: I worked there, i worked near it, i performed there and I realized, well, i started to see a lot of the people around me make their own videos and I was like I could do that.

26:55

Milana: Like I directed theater, i could direct a web series, i could figure this out And I had some friends teach me how to edit and that web series ended up getting me my reps and my.

27:12

Milana: I ended up selling that web series as a TV show to the.

27:17

Milana: MTV pilot. Marc: Yeah, back when MTV was a big factor, i was like trying to explain to my kids okay, used to be, mtv was the tastemaker for everything that ever happened.

27:29

Milana: Oh, this was way after that, this was way after that.

27:31

Milana: It was already not a tastemaker, oh, it was already kind of like mostly reality at that time, which and?

27:40

Milana: they were doing some comedy, but it was mostly.

27:43

Milana: I mean, they didn't pick up the show because it honestly didn't really align with their content.

27:50

Milana: But but it was a good. Milana: It was a really good step for me to make something and to sell it and to feel that kind of confidence and, i don't know, velocity in my career.

28:04

Marc: Now, you know, going forward now, i loved and wished you would show up more and the TV show love Anything Judd Apatow touches, i'm like all about it.

28:14

Marc: you know, how did you end up on that show?

28:17

Marc: I know it was only a couple episodes, but how did that come together for you.

28:20

Milana: A little fashion audition. Marc: Did I see something somewhere that you would acted on ER at one point in time?

28:26

Marc: I think? Milana: Yeah, when I was a kid. Marc: Was it, oh, is it an Instagram post?

28:30

Marc: I'd seen that you trade You and George Clooney next to your trailer, i think, and I think it's.

28:36

Marc: the post is something like all the guys in my past or something like that.

28:42

Marc: You know, moving forward, how do you, in parallel with having a very recognizable I mean, which is, i mean to be a very, to have a character which is you know what it is, in a commercial, on par with flow from progressive or who people just will know the name and know the person, is it at all a challenge to establish an acting career and, parallel to that, when you're so recognizable as being Lily, is that difficult at all?

29:12

Milana: I don't know what kind of conversations people have when they decide to put me in their project or not.

29:18

Milana: So I don't, I haven't. Milana: No one would tell me to my face that they're not going to hire me because of that reason.

29:27

Milana: But I've been able to continue working a nice, modest actor's life.

29:34

Milana: So I can't, I can't say yet that it's hurt me, but let me get back to you in a few years.

29:41

Marc: Well, no, not as much as like. Marc: As far as getting cast more like internally for you, are you, is there a line of delineation that you have to create like, okay, this is a thing, that's, that's, that's rolling.

29:53

Marc: I mean, a lot of people would give a lot just to have, you know, a couple of national spots.

29:58

Marc: And here you are, this is, this is a really cool thing.

30:01

Marc: You know, i think anybody would think that was pretty badass, but with that is it is it.

30:06

Marc: Is it something for you, where you're, as you're charting your career, if you're going to do some heavier stuff, do you see yourself doing more heavier, dramatic things that maybe are not what we come to expect from your?

30:16

Marc: you know both commercial or THE TV projects you've been doing.

30:21

Marc: Are you wanting to do something more dramatic? Milana: I Could, I suppose.

30:28

Milana: But it is what comedy is so fun.

30:33

Milana: Comedy is such a joy and and it allows me to play and be silly.

30:39

Milana: So I like staying in that space, but I'm open.

30:43

Milana: I mean, that's the right thing you know. Marc: Well, for a lot of people comedy is very difficult, you know, because that's.

30:51

Milana: It feels at home for me. Marc: So that's that kind of goes back to your being the, the precocious little kid.

30:57

Marc: It just kind of like you know you're just a little older, but still the same kid, you know.

31:01

Marc: So it's easy, you know, for you to get together with adults and play.

31:04

Marc: But now going back, you mentioned you have a.

31:06

Marc: How old's your son? Milana: He's almost two. Marc: So is he very verbal yet Is he?

31:11

Marc: is he gotten to the point of being talkative? Milana: Oh, Yeah, he's so, so, so funny.

31:17

Milana: He's like the most funny.

31:21

Milana: He's like really cute and silly and Interested and curious and he's my favorite guy.

31:31

Marc: So when is he's mommy on TV? Marc: How does he?

31:34

Milana: Oh, he hasn't made me, he doesn't care.

31:37

Milana: No We watch all that. Milana: We watch home videos all the time.

31:40

Milana: So, and also I don't Watch a lot of my own commercials, so he doesn't care and he doesn't get it yet Maybe when he, maybe when he's older, he'll care.

31:51

Marc: You know, going forward, if you had to kind of like, if you can kind of map out the next few of you like that five-year thing, what kind of things would you like to be working on?

31:59

Marc: Do you have anything that you haven't done, or things you have done you want to keep on doing or do again?

32:04

Marc: I? Milana: I'd really like to Run a show with my writing partner That's based on some original ideas.

32:16

Milana: I Would love to create things that other people get to use as their showcase, and then, yeah, showing up to just act in other things is also a joy, and so doing meaningful films that are funny would be the dream job, and Also, i'd like to keep directing.

32:44

Marc: Now I did see one show That I did down, if you wrote it or if this is your creation, but I've got to see it the Shabasco I.

32:54

Marc: Was that your Creation, or oh okay?

32:57

Milana: No, that was created by a writer, director, composer at Talia Olstein.

33:02

Milana: It's very funny. Milana: It's definitely worth checking out.

33:04

Milana: I think it's great. Marc: Okay, guys, we sort of wrap up here.

33:14

Marc: I want to. Marc: I always have my seven, my seven questions.

33:17

Marc: Just a little fun extra, get to know you. Marc: But I am curious.

33:22

Marc: First question What is your favorite comfort food?

33:26

Milana: I love Mac and cheese. Milana: I love cheese period.

33:30

Milana: So cheese pizza sounds really good.

33:32

Milana: But Mac and cheese right now, in this moment, that's like a little crunchy at the top.

33:37

Marc: That's my really another cheese fan.

33:39

Marc: I like that. Marc: I got it Well. Marc: One kind of side question on that What is?

33:43

Marc: I don't know if it's a comfort food, but something that you register as being a Really great Russian dish that your folks make you know.

33:52

Milana: Um everything, everything that my.

33:55

Milana: so we're not, we're not Russian, we're Uzbek.

33:58

Marc: Oh, I'm sorry and We.

34:02

Milana: My grandma makes pluff, which is this a traditional Uzbek rice with, with Carrots and beef and some people look our bonzo beans and cardamom and it is just the yummiest, looks like the fattiest rice you can eat and it's my favorite.

34:26

Milana: I could eat that all day. Milana: Also, my grandma makes a borsch that's like out of this world, bleachy, which are just crepes, but they're like better than any crepe I've ever had, even in Paris.

34:36

Milana: So Can't I can't pick favorite grandma's dish, you know.

34:41

Marc: Yeah, I'm so sorry to me say Russian I'm is because of course you expect something in Soviet Union nuts That's.

34:46

Marc: it was part of the Soviet Union. Milana: Yeah, so part of the Soviet Union, for sure.

34:49

Marc: Always. Marc: That's one of things I've always wanted to know a little bit more about that cuisine.

34:52

Marc: I was. Marc: It was a banyas. Marc: Is that the thing that people go to?

34:54

Marc: they have a. Marc: It's like a spa slash eating.

34:57

Marc: I've always wanted. Marc: I think LA has got a at least couple of them.

35:00

Marc: I want to. Marc: I've always wanted to check that out. Marc: Now, if you're gonna sit down, like with three people, you're gonna have coffee or lunch or whatever Living, living or not Who would it, who would you like to sit down and talk, just kind of talk story with and have a cup of coffee with you know, you and three people?

35:21

Milana: I'll pick Steven Spielberg.

35:30

Milana: This is hard, this is really hard bell hooks and I think I'd want my husband to be there, just so that afterwards we could like recap.

35:42

Milana: You know, just so that after, so that I could the conversation could live on every moment that we're together afterwards.

35:49

Marc: Isn't that a now? Marc: That's a really wonderful idea.

35:51

Marc: I love that being able to have somebody with you and keep it's like on a vacation with.

35:55

Marc: That's why I love it. Marc: I don't like taking vacations Just like me or like another adults.

35:59

Marc: I want to be with my kids because it'll be a story.

36:02

Marc: We always get to kind of rehash it. Marc: That's wonderful.

36:04

Marc: I've never had somebody mentioned their spouse before. Marc: That that's great.

36:07

Marc: Now, now, bell hooks, bell hooks. Marc: Why am I drawing a blank bell hooks.

36:11

Milana: Bell hooks wrote all about love and many, many other books on The systems, the systems of oppression, the system, the structures of love, the structures of patriarchy, and How they honestly hurt us all.

36:36

Milana: That's maybe just one of her many, many, many incredible points.

36:41

Milana: Love as the antidote to a lot of the broken systems, the care that we have for each other and For the earth, for animals, i mean mostly people Is the antidote to so much of the greed and fear Which is, which is, which is the sickness that that manifests as racism and prejudice and misogyny.

37:09

Milana: But I first discovered her work in in college and then just kept digging in as an adult And it keeps, honestly, it keeps mattering and almost becoming more and more relevant as our world becomes more fucked up.

37:23

Marc: Now, now, the next question I got for you was who's your who when you were a kid?

37:27

Marc: Who is your first celebrity crush? Milana: I wasn't one of those kids who had slept, who, like I, had crushes on like boys in my class and those felt huge, like like crippling.

37:41

Milana: But you know, i knew people who like put up posters of Jonathan Taylor Thomas and it just never made sense to me.

37:48

Milana: I didn't, wasn't really. Milana: I guess I had a little bit of a crush on George Clooney when I knew him, but only because he's really really magnetic.

37:56

Milana: But I was also a child and he was in his 30s, you know.

37:59

Milana: So I always I really just wanted him to like be a friend.

38:02

Marc: I wanted him to like come over You sound a lot like I was when I was younger.

38:07

Marc: I felt very comfortable with adults. Marc: I had no like I could eat, had a lot of ease.

38:12

Marc: Was that same thing with you when you were younger? Milana: I think so.

38:17

Milana: We just didn't I. Milana: I think so, i think I was just honest, and so when people would ask me things, i would reply Genuinely so George Clooney on set with, was that he?

38:29

Marc: was he easy going with with kids or like?

38:32

Marc: I mean you may have been the only kid on The set. Milana: Yeah, he was the best.

38:35

Milana: He was absolutely the best. Marc: I think it's hard to dislike George Clooney.

38:40

Marc: He's just one of those guys like this, kind of like Tom Hanks.

38:42

Marc: You just can't not. Marc: You know you can't not like him, you know.

38:47

Marc: Now, if you were next question, if you were Going to be living on an exotic island, somewhere you actually want to be, you're gonna be there for a year, but you don't have any Wi-Fi, you don't have any means of streaming, watching whatever you got to bring.

38:59

Marc: If you want to watch a movie, you got to bring one DVD with you and maybe you also bring an album And so that's, you know, or CD, or, but nothing streaming.

39:08

Marc: You just got to have one. Marc: You're gonna listen to it for the entire year you, your husband, your son.

39:12

Marc: It's gonna be a wonderful getaway. Marc: What would you bring?

39:18

Milana: I think for the album I would just bring the Beatles one album which is like their best of, and Then for a movie, fire Island.

39:33

Milana: No, um, i don't, i don't know, i Can't.

39:38

Milana: I can't think of anything serious, i Can only think of bad and can't say that, while I'm drinking coffee, fire island.

39:45

Marc: I'm like that's like, okay, that's interesting. Marc: Like are you, are you a reader?

39:48

Marc: Is there a book you'd bring with you? Milana: I'm not a reader.

39:51

Milana: I have a baby. Marc: Yeah, every time I read, I don't know about you, but I start falling asleep.

39:55

Marc: So now I got to do audiobook. Marc: If I want to check out a book, it's got to be the audiobook.

39:58

Milana: I do love an audiobook. Milana: I Right now I'm listening to a book on the Enneagram, which is a fun, silly thing I'm not sure if you know about.

40:10

Marc: No, what do you call Enneagram? Milana: It's an Enneagram?

40:13

Milana: Yeah, it's, it's a personality type, but they use it a lot in like leadership, coaching and Basically figuring out how you think, and There are nine different kinds and it's a very interesting and very weirdly Informative and accurate.

40:34

Marc: so well, you know that's gonna help you as a director, i'm sure, dealing with people.

40:38

Marc: You know Now, if you're just defined.

40:42

Marc: Next question what for a perfect day? Marc: from time you get up till time you lay down in bed, what would be the optimal Perfect day for you?

40:50

Marc: the component parts of that day. Milana: Well, my son would sleep until like 7, 30, which would be a dream, dear Lord.

40:58

Milana: How? Marc: early does he wake up? Milana: Usually like 6 15.

41:02

Milana: Today was like 6 5, with maybe a wake up or two in the night, so He was sleeping till like 7 30 and then we would Walk somewhere beautiful to get food And I honestly this is cheesy, but I really just love when my husband and I can go together with him to the park So we would just go and run around somewhere, maybe go on a hike, see some waterfalls.

41:27

Milana: that would be perfect. Milana: Actually, i would love to go see waterfalls and And then take a nap After, like like going along, hike, see some waterfalls, take a nap and then have somebody come and Bring us meals and then clean up and take it away.

41:51

Marc: You almost were excited about the cleaning up part. Marc: You know, yeah.

41:55

Marc: Physical labor ever a bless your heart.

41:58

Marc: You do have a two-year-old, don't you? Marc: okay, so?

42:00

Milana: I do, i do. Milana: It's a lot of chores.

42:05

Milana: So, yeah, it's really just like resting, being in nature and eating good food with the people I love.

42:11

Milana: And then maybe, yeah, maybe. Milana: At the end of the night There's a big dinner party with my closest friends and family.

42:17

Marc: I'm very good Now is your family still live in LA a? Marc: Lot of my family still lives in LA so, every so, a lot of your family came over and landed in, out and the art found themselves in LA.

42:27

Marc: That's nice, that's very nice. Marc: Now, if you were not doing what you were doing now, if you were doing commercials, tv film, what would you be doing?

42:39

Milana: Um, trying to be doing commercials.

42:48

Marc: So you're not like that I'd be a teacher, i'd be an astronaut.

42:50

Marc: No, there's no that. Marc: This is just it's hardwired new DNA.

42:54

Marc: This is kind of your happy place and vocation.

42:57

Milana: I think, if this weren't an option for me, i would be doing something around healing, like You know, honestly, like physical therapy or masseuse or Body work or something like that.

43:12

Milana: I, i would like to be a. Milana: I'd be working with people physically and Helping them feel less pain.

43:21

Marc: It's very nice. Marc: I like that. Marc: And now the last question I've got for you if, if you were to jump into a DeLorean and go back in time, you're gonna be talking to 16 year old Milana.

43:32

Marc: You're gonna go back in time. Marc: What's that? Marc: one piece of advice you tell yourself either to make your life at that moment better, or to set yourself on a track For even more success, or to do what you want to do.

43:43

Marc: What's a piece of advice to 16 year old you?

43:46

Milana: Listen more, talk less. Marc: That can be hard.

43:49

Marc: Yeah, that could be very hard really hard for somebody like me.

43:54

Milana: But I think I, i Think I had a lot to learn and I was very cocky a lot of the time, or I needed to show myself I've.

44:05

Milana: You know, like I said, i loved being the center of attention.

44:07

Milana: So I think I really, you know, would maybe make things about me that weren't about me, or Would just Be less considerate.

44:23

Milana: I wouldn't. Milana: I could be more considerate about the space I was taking up.

44:28

Milana: You know what I mean. Marc: What you're talking about sounds a lot like to me, like a lot of the folks have spoken with.

44:32

Marc: It's kind of You have to to be able to thrive and doing the thing you're doing.

44:36

Marc: It sounds like to me that you do have to.

44:39

Marc: Not be self-centered is not the word but very aware of the space you're in.

44:43

Marc: But sometimes that could be taken, as you know, occupying too much of other people's space.

44:47

Marc: You know, that's really wonderful. Marc: Now. Marc: I really do appreciate you taking time out to chat.

44:53

Marc: You've been very generous and it's it's.

44:55

Marc: I can't wait to tell my daughter, lily I was like you know, look at, listen to.

44:58

Marc: I talked to you today. Marc: Thank you so much, be well and hopefully we'll catch up down the line.

45:02

Milana: Okay, thanks, Marc, i appreciate your time. Marc: Well, there you go, milana Vayntrub.

45:08

Marc: It was a fun conversation. Marc: Certainly appreciate her taking time out to sit down and Chat with us, and I want to thank you for taking time to stop by.

45:18

Marc: I'm really glad to be back from this hiatus to sit down and start putting together some fun stuff For you to enjoy whenever you're working out, driving in the car, road trip, whatever you're doing, i appreciate you coming here every week, most certainly.

45:31

Marc: And don't forget anything and everything You could possibly want to know about story and craft.

45:36

Marc: Just head to StoryAndCraftPod.com.

45:40

Marc: You can check out the show pretty much anywhere.

45:42

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45:51

Marc: And hey, don't forget, if you want to shoot me a note, ask a question, and just check in and say, hey, you can also do that through story and craft podcom.

46:01

Marc: Always great to hear from you. Marc: Well, that's it for me for today.

46:05

Marc: I'm gonna head on out time to grab a little dinner.

46:08

Marc: I'm hungry, so I'm gonna get on out of here.

46:10

Marc: You have an absolutely Amazing, safe and super cool rest of your week weekend.

46:16

Marc: Whatever happens to me, we'll see you next time right here on story and craft.

46:20

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46:23

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46:28

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46:33

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46:36

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46:38

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46:42

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46:49

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46:57

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