Michelle Stafford Reveals the Terrifying Health Scare That Changed Her Life Forever

Michelle Stafford, best known to soap fans as Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless, was the latest guest on Soapy, marking the podcast’s first interview of 2026. After the usual introductory remarks by Greg Rikaart and Rebecca Budig, Stafford was asked about how she first got into acting, which led her to reflect on a pivotal and deeply personal chapter of her life.

Michelle Stafford Talks Brain Tumor

Before acting, there was modeling. Stafford recalled those early days and shared a powerful story about being diagnosed with a brain tumor at just 19 years old.

While the diagnosis itself was terrifying, she admitted that what initially upset her the most was the idea of having her head shaved. At the time, she dreamed of becoming a model and worried about how the surgery would affect her appearance.

“I’m 19, and I wanted to model, and this was not going to work out for me with that kind of head, I felt. No disrespect,” Stafford shared.

Determined to keep some sense of control, she found a doctor who agreed to shave only one side of her head so she could use the rest of her hair to partially hide it.

Even so, she admitted the experience was overwhelming and emotional, and she cried. While her family and everyone around her were on edge, Stafford said she maintained a surprisingly cheerful spirit. She believed the doctors would simply remove the tumor and everything would be fine. Thankfully, the tumor turned out to be benign.

She went on to describe the surgery itself as terrifying. Stafford explained that doctors essentially had to “take her face off” to access the tumor.

Although the outcome was positive, the experience left a lasting impact. It gave her a fearless outlook on life.

Her Soap Career

As the conversation shifted back to her soap career, Stafford’s playful side came out when she jokingly asked host Rebecca Budig, who plays Taylor Hayes on The Bold and the Beautiful, what it is like to make out with Thorsten Kaye, who plays Ridge.

Stafford also opened up about her long relationship with The Young and the Restless. Over the years, she has stepped away from the role of Phyllis more than once, only to return later.

“I left Y&R for a couple of years, and then I went back because they asked me and I thought, why not?” she explained. “I know people say, ‘Did you love the character or did you just want a paycheck?’”

She admitted that she also became burnt out. While she appreciates the character, playing Phyllis can be emotionally exhausting.

“Phyllis is jacked up all the time,” Stafford said. “She’s fighting for her life in every scene. She’s hanging from the cliff. That’s where she is emotionally on a soul level, and it’s hard.”

During her time away from Y&R, Stafford explored other opportunities, including a stint on General Hospital, where Frank Valentini invited her to take on the role of Nina Reeves.

Beyond her career, Stafford spoke candidly about being a single mother of two. She described the experience as brutal at times, but also humbling. Without a partner to “pass the baton” to, she does her best to stay present and supportive, even while acknowledging her imperfections.

“I screw up all the time,” she admitted. However, she is simply trying to do the best she can.

She even joked about a recent line on the show where Nick tells Phyllis, ‘You’re a good mother.’

Phyllis reply was, ‘I don’t think I’m a good mother,’ Stafford laughed. “And that really came from Michelle Stafford.”

Stafford’s interview offered a revealing look at the woman behind some of daytime television’s most outstanding work.

Watch the full interview below.

Photo Credit: CBS Broadcasting Inc.

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