Milana Vayntrub

Milana Vayntrub is an Uzbekistan-born director, actor, and improviser. She denied that as her calling, hoping something more “realistic” might satisfy her, but in reality, it only bummed her out. So after a good fight she admitted she’s happiest telling stories and making people laugh, and pursued it with her all her she’s got.

She launched her career making her own digital content as a way to work without asking permission to work. After PA-ing anywhere that would have her, and asking friends to teach her how to edit, she created, directed, and edited a web series called “Let’s Talk About Something More Interesting” which garnered more than 15 million views and later sold to MTV as a pilot.

As an actor she appeared on shows like “Silicon Valley”, “This is Us”, and “Love” on Netflix, and more, but has never stopped directing. Rather, she saw every acting job as an opportunity to watch another director work and learn.

When she broke the record for most consecutive wins on Comedy Central’s competitive comedy show “@midnight”, the network asked her what show she’d like to make, to which she replied “what show would you like to buy?” Based on their response she wrote a sketch series with her co-creator called “Making Fun”. The sketches performed exceptionally online, but the pandemic was underway and everyone was fired. I digress. I cry and I digress again.

After appearing in too many ads for AT&T, Milana took over directing the ads herself in addition to numerous campaigns for companies like the Make a Wish Foundation, Voya Financial, and (most impressively) Cracker Barrell Cheese. Her award-winning documentary, “Can’t Do Nothing”, which following the journey of Syrian refugees landing on Greek shores, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to aid in the building of schools, buses, and first aid centers.

Most recently, she completed a short film called “Pickled Herring” based on her relationship with her old-world, Soviet dad. Today she continues to perform improv at the Upright Citizen Brigade theater and is focused on telling stories about immigrant communities, making people laugh, and raising her little boy in a world that’s safe, equitable, and beautifully weird.