Y&R’s Michelle Stafford Admits She Was Shocked by Her Emmy Nomination

When the Daytime Emmy Awards nominations were announced on April 26, THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS star Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) was on the phone completely oblivious to the news until a friend texted!

“All I could see in her text was, ‘Congratulations, so deserved,’” the actress explained during an interview with JLJ Media. “She had an image with it but I couldn’t see the image. I was on the phone and I was like, ‘Huh.’ And then I looked at it and it had all the names and I thought, is this a joke? I didn’t know what it was!

“And that’s soo cool,” Stafford added. “I didn’t know that nominations were coming out. I don’t like to pay attention to that stuff. But I was pretty prepared not to be nominated. And it was okay with me. So it was a really neat shock.”

This nod marks Stafford’s 11th Daytime Emmy Award nomination, and she has taken home the trophy twice during her career. The first was in 1997, for Outstanding Supporting Actress on Y&R, and then again in the Lead Actress category in 2004. It’s been 10 years since her last nomination in 2013, so she appreciates the recognition.

“It’s really nice,” the Y&R star admitted. “I don’t know why people are nominated when they’re nominated. Because there were some, I feel… oversights here. I don’t know why. It’s sort of a luck thing. It’s also lucky to get a storyline as well, right? To get something that you can really do something with. It’s not like a Stanley Cup playoff game. It’s not like whoever gets the most goals wins. It’s totally subjective. And really, the win is being acknowledged.”

Stafford also counts herself among great company in the Lead Actress category this year, the first time she’s nominated alongside her best friend. “I’ve never been nominated the same year Finola [Hughes, Anna, GENERAL HOSPITAL) has been nominated,” she gushed. “And that we’re in the same category is so cool to me.”

Although she’s actually rooting for Y&R co-star Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea) to take home the prize this year. “Amazing story,” Stafford declared. “What she did with it, she was so beautiful. And I love Missy so much. She’s been nominated a few times. I would like her to get it. Every single one of these women, I would be happy if they got it.”