Michelle Stafford

Last updated

Michelle Stafford
Michelle Stafford 2022.png
Stafford in 2022
Born (1965-09-14) September 14, 1965 (age 59)
Occupations
Years active1990–present
Children2
Website www.michellestafford.com

Michelle Stafford (born September 14, 1965) [1] is an American actress, screenwriter and producer. She currently plays Phyllis Summers on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless , for which she has won three Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2013, Stafford created and starred in her own comedy web series, The Stafford Project . She also played Nina Reeves on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital .

Contents

Early life

Stafford was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents moved her and her older sister, Janine, to Montrose, California, where she was raised. After graduating from high school, Stafford chased after her dream of modeling. [2]

Career

In 1990 Stafford was cast in Fox soap opera Tribes . The show was canceled after 3-month airing on Fox. [3] She later appeared in two plays directed by Charles Durning in Los Angeles stage, and co-starred in several small films. [4]

In October 1994, Stafford began what was supposed to be a short term role of Phyllis Summers on the American CBS Daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless ; however, her work impressed the producers and she was placed on contract. [5] [6] In 1997, Stafford left the series to pursue other career opportunities, and she was replaced by Sandra Nelson. [7] In 1997 she was cast in Aaron Spelling primetime soap opera Pacific Palisades as lead character, but show was canceled after 13 episodes. She later guest-starred in Two Guys and a Girl , Diagnosis: Murder , and JAG . In film, Stafford appeared in 1999 thriller Double Jeopardy opposite Ashley Judd.

In July 2000, Stafford was brought back to the soap opera by former head writer Kay Alden. [8] From December 2006 to February 2007, Stafford played dual roles on Y&R, portraying Sheila Carter, formerly played by Kimberlin Brown (Sheila had plastic surgery to look like Phyllis). [9] In May 2013, it was announced that Stafford would be exiting the soap opera after sixteen years in the role. [10] Stafford later confirmed that her final scenes would air sometime that August. [11] Stafford exited the series on August 2, 2013. [12]

In 2004, Stafford was a hockey correspondent for The Best Damn Sports Show Period . Stafford starred in Lifetime movie Like Mother, Like Daughter in 2007. [13] In 2007, Stafford appeared on Tyra Banks' talk show to help Tyra through "soap opera school." [14] In 2012 she appeared as Lauren on the web series The Grove, created by Crystal Chappell. She also guest-starred in Frasier , Charmed , and Ringer . [15] She subsequently launched her web series, The Stafford Project , based on her personal life and struggles, with the first episode premiering on her YouTube Channel on August 5, 2013. [16] The series received positive reviews from critics. Michael Logan of TV Guide appreciated the web series, calling it "terrific and audacious" and saying that "there's never a dull moment in the life of Michelle Stafford". [17] Jamey Giddens of the entertainment website Zap2it said that Stafford is "as viable and fiery as ever", calling The Stafford Project "insanely-funny". [18]

In 2014, Stafford returned to daytime television with the role of Nina Clay, the wife of Dr. Silas Clay (Michael Easton) on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital . Stafford's long-rumored addition to the cast was made official when her character Nina, the presumed-dead wife of Silas, suddenly appeared at the very end of the episode on May 1, 2014. [19] [20] [21] In 2015, she co-starred alongside Tom Sizemore in the independent film Durant's Never Closes. [22]

In 2016, Stafford launched a skincare product line called Skin Nation. [23] The products are said to be organic, natural, gluten free, and certified cruelty-free by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). [23] In 2019, it was announced that she would leave General Hospital as Nina Reeves and reprise her role of Phyllis Summers on The Young & the Restless. [24]

Personal life

Stafford's first child, a daughter, Natalia Scout Lee Stafford, was born via a gestational surrogate in December 2009. [25] [26] In October 2015, Stafford had a second child, a son named Jameson Jones Lee Stafford. [27]

She is member of the Church of Scientology. [28]

Filmography

Stafford in 2011 Michelle Stafford 2011.jpg
Stafford in 2011

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1993 Body of Influence Madam
1999 Double Jeopardy Suzanne Monroe
2000AttractionSuzanne
2002LostRachelShort film
2002CottonmouthRenee Alexander
2003Vampires AnonymousTaffeta Munro
2007Totally Baked: A Pot-U-MentaryJessica
20083 Days GoneDetective Holloway
2008CaraAgentShort film
2013 Parker Phyllis Summers
2014On Georgia's MindTriciaShort film
2015Earth FallNancy
2016 Durant's Never Closes Suzie Durant

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990 Tribes FrankieSeries regular, 13 episodes
1994 Another Midnight Run Hotel GuestTV movie
1994 Renegade Lauren JessupEpisode: "The Posse"
1994 Models Inc. Girl in the toiletsEpisode: "Blind by Love"
1994–1997, 2000–2013, 2019–present The Young and the Restless Phyllis Summers Series regular
1997 Pacific Palisades Joanna HadleySeries regular, 13 episodes
1998 Players Vanessa EvansEpisode: "Wrath of Con"
1998 Two Guys and a Girl AprilEpisode: "Two Guys, a Girl and a Softball Team"
1999 Diagnosis: Murder TrishEpisodes: "Gangland: Part One" and "Gangland: Part Two"
1999 JAG Suzanne MooreEpisode: "Contemptuous Words"
2000 V.I.P. Nancy BiggsEpisode: "Val Point Blank"
2001 Frasier Heather MurphyEpisode: "The First Temptation of Daphne"
2002 Judging Amy Linda BarnesEpisode: "The Bottle Show"
2005 Clubhouse SydneyEpisode: "Between First and Home"
2005 Charmed MandiEpisode: "Desperate Housewitches"
2007Like Mother, Like DaughterDawna WilliamsTV movie
2011 Ringer Peggy LewisEpisode: "If You Ever Want a French Lesson..."
2013 The Stafford Project HerselfWeb series, also writer and executive producer
2014–2019 General Hospital Nina Reeves Series regular
2015Secret Mind of a Single MomMichelleWeb series

Awards and nominations

List of acting awards and nominations for Michelle Stafford
YearAwardCategoryTitleResultRef.
1996 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Young and the Restless Nominated [29]
1996 Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Female NewcomerThe Young and the RestlessWon [30]
1997 Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Young and the RestlessWon [31]
1997 Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Villainess The Young and the RestlessWon [32] [33]
2001 Soap Opera Digest AwardOutstanding Female Scene StealerThe Young and the RestlessNominated
2003 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series The Young and the RestlessNominated [34]
2003 Soap Opera Digest AwardOutstanding Lead ActressThe Young and the RestlessWon [35]
2004 Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Young and the RestlessWon [36]
2005 Daytime Emmy AwardMost Irresistible Combination (shared with Peter Bergman) The Young and the RestlessNominated [37]
2005Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Young and the RestlessNominated [38]
2005 Soap Opera Digest AwardOutstanding Lead ActressThe Young and the RestlessNominated
2007 Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Young and the RestlessNominated [39]
2008 Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Young and the RestlessNominated [40]
2010 Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Young and the RestlessNominated [41]
2011 Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Young and the RestlessNominated [42]
2013 Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Young and the RestlessNominated [43]
2023 Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Young and the RestlessNominated
2024 Daytime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Young and the RestlessWon

See also

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References

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