Michelle Stafford and Finola Hughes Share Their Real-Life Friendship
June 9 was National Best Friend Day and this year, THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS star Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) took to social media to express her love for her best friend, GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Finola Hughes (Anna)! “I love this gal!” she exclaimed on Instagram. “She is the original badass. The greatest friend to all. So supportive of everyone and laughs at all of my jokes. That is the kind of pal to have.”
Stafford shared a photo of the pair presenting at the 2018 Daytime Emmy Awards, and revealed a little behind-the-scenes secret of that moment. “I said, ‘Listen, when we walk out on stage, please let’s not do something cheesy like hold hands,’” she recalled telling Hughes that evening. “Of course, I walk out there and what’s the first thing I do? Grab her hand. That is why she will always be cooler than me.”
Hughes followed that up with a shot of her and Stafford linking hands again on the red carpet for the premiere of the film Zero Dark Thirty. “So I missed National Best Friend Day, but here for the record, Michelle and I holding hands,” the actress posted. “Love ya, Stafford. Love you for always knowing when to call, what to say, having my back, and being an all-’round inspiration.”
Stafford joining the cast of GH in 2014 for a five-year stint as Nina Reeves wasn’t actually the first time that the two actresses had worked together, however. The two were castmates in Aaron Spelling’s short-lived primetime sudser PACIFIC PALISADES that aired back in 1997. “I played Joanna and Finola played Kate,” Stafford explained. “Kate and Joanna were best friends. Kate went nuts by the end of our show. My character was a sweet hometown girl. I had never been cast as a character like that. I loved working for Aaron. He was a genius.”
While soap fans don’t get to watch Stafford and Hughes share the screen on GH anymore, they can still enjoy watching the actresses deliver amazing performances on their respective shows, and know that they’re still BFFs off-camera!
