Who is Michelle Stafford? Everything to know about the actress playing Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless

Michelle Stafford is best known for her role as Phyllis Summers on the famous daily soap The Young and the Restless. The actress debuted as the fierce redhead in October 1994 and has since been synonymous with the character.

Originally cast for a short-term role, Stafford's portrayal of Phyllis impressed the producers, putting her on a regular contract.

Michelle Stafford at the 51st Annual Daytime Emmys Awards (Image via Getty)

In 1997, Stafford parted ways with the character to pursue other acting opportunities. At the time, she was replaced by Sandra Nelson. However, it was just not the same without her in Genoa City. By July 2000, she was back as Phyllis.

After sixteen years of playing the role, Stafford decided it was time to exit Y&R once again. She left the series in August 2013, only to return in 2019. She has remained on the show since then.

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Get to know The Young and the Restless star Michelle Stafford

Michelle Stafford was born on September 14, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Montrose, California. Shortly after finishing high school, she went on to pursue a modeling career.

Stafford has two kids born via surrogate- Natalia Scout Lee Stafford, born December 21, 2009, and James Jones Lee Stafford, born October 23, 2015.

Aside from The Young and the Restless, Stafford appeared in numerous television series. The actress was a regular on Tribes, Pacific Palisades, and General Hospital. She also guest-starred in shows like Renegade, Ringer, Charmed, Clubhouse, Frasier, Judging Amy, V.I.P., Diagnosis: Murder, Two Guys and a Girl, and more.

Michelle Stafford's acting prowess on The Young and the Restless landed her several nominations and awards. Her first achievement on the show was the Outstanding Female Newcomer award in 1996. The following year, she bagged the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Villainess. In 2024, Stafford won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Phyllis Summers.

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30 years as Phyllis Summers

In October 2024, Michelle Stafford hit a major milestone in her acting career as she marked her 30th anniversary as Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless.

Stafford admitted she never expected to be playing the role for over three decades—and counting.

"I was always expecting to go from job to job because that’s how the acting thing goes," she told TODAY during a 2024 interview. "I am continuously stunned that I’ve kept a job, that I continue to act. Not everyone can say that."

Stafford also revealed some of her favorite storylines on Y&R. One of them is Phyllis and Nick's affair. The actress noted that it "felt like it was a very real story and told so well."

Another memorable arc for Stafford was Phyllis's fake death in 2023.

"I liked that story. I had a really great time spinning out. Phyllis was truly spinning out."

Phyllis also made quite a few rivals on The Young and the Restless. Stafford revealed that every single rivalry is significant to her character. Some of Phyllis' most notable rivals include Sharon Newman, Diane Jenkins, and Christine Blair.

As for her love interest, Michelle Stafford admitted she doesn't see Phyllis settling down with someone anytime soon. Still, she's open to the idea of the redhead getting into a serious and healthy relationship.

"It would be fantastic to have someone in her life that doesn’t bring all these problems," the actress said in the same interview. "I don’t know if they’ll write that, but that would be fun to play. Phyllis certainly could use it," she says.