Michelle Stafford (born September 14, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American actress.
Out of her many film and television roles, she is most known for her scheming persona as Phyllis Summers Abbott on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. First joining the cast in 1994, she was introduced as an obsessed fangirl stalking Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian). She eventually stole Danny from his wife Christine (Lauralee Bell) and then had a major falling-out with Danny, which necessitated her departure from Genoa City.
Stafford first left the show in 1997 and the character of Phyllis returned in 2000 with a more mature outlook on life. She married Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) and attempted to better herself, even though Jack's ex-wife Diane (Susan Walters) attempted to frame Phyllis first for setting her beach house on fire, and then for running her over with a car.
Stafford's role as Phyllis earned her a Daytime Emmy award nomination for Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2003. She won the award after being nominated again in 2004.
Stafford is a member of the Church of Scientology.
Due to Stafford's continual critical acclaim in her role on The Young and the Restless, she recently pulled herself out of the race for the Daytime Emmy Awards along with fellow castmate Eileen Davidson.
