Y&R’s Michelle Stafford reveals Phyllis’ scene will never air.

Phyllis has drawn a lot of comparisons to this famous movie character.
 Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Photo Credit: JPI StudiosFor over 30 years, Michelle Stafford has been playing the villainous/heroine Phyllis on The Young and the Restless. Although Phyllis has done many terrible things, deep down, fans feel sorry for her. When it comes to playing Phyllis, Stafford delved into the world of classic Hollywood movies.
Key Takeaways
- Phyllis debuted as a troublemaker intent on breaking up Danny and Christine.
- Phyllis has continued to wreak havoc on Genoa City.
- Miss Summers commands attention wherever she goes in Genoa City.
- Stafford’s inspiration for Phyllis came from a Glenn Close character.
Not To Be Ignored
When Stafford debuted as Phyllis in 1994, little did she know that she and her character would become a vital part of Y&R. For over three decades, the actress has been entertaining fans with her devious, yet emotional performances.
Phyllis has committed many heinous crimes, many of which included breaking up marriages. Although Phyllis has had many bad moments, she’s also shown she has a softer side. Phyllis is someone who wants love, and sometimes goes about it the wrong way. Her behavior is often reminiscent of a famous movie character, who served as Stafford’s inspiration.
On her Instagram story, Stafford posted a clip of the 1987 film Fatal Attraction. The clip has Glenn Close’s character Alex telling Michael Douglas’ character that she won’t be ignored. “This scene has always been my inspiration for Phyllis,” the actress captioned the video.

Phyllis and Alex Are Similar
It’s no surprise that Stafford would use Close’s character as inspiration for Phyllis. The two characters are similar in that they love hard, even though their love isn’t reciprocated. Plus, they’ve also done crazy stuff in the name of love.
When Phyllis first arrived in Genoa City, she was obsessed with Danny (Michael Damian) and breaking up his marriage to Christine (Lauralee Bell). Phyllis tricked Danny into sleeping with her and later lied about him being Daniel’s (Michael Graziadei) father. Phyllis succeeded in marrying Danny; however, her world came crumbling down when her lies were exposed.
She went on to marry Jack (Peter Bergman), and later Nick (Joshua Morrow). Her relationships with the men sparked feuds with their respective exes, Diane (Susan Walters) and Sharon (Sharon Case). Much like with Danny, Phyllis resorted to drastic measures to keep Jack and Nick, including lying and getting rid of the competition.
Currently, Phyllis finds herself single but is looking for love. Will her next love interest be able to tame the fiery redhead? Or will Phyllis be up to her old tricks when it comes to love?




