Michelle Stafford
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Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, The Young and the Restless) has become involved with Project Cuddle, an organization that saves abandoned babies and reaches out to troubled pregnant women.

Below, she tells Soap Opera Weekly about her involvement with the charity.

Soap Opera Weekly: How did you get involved with Project Cuddle?
Michelle Stafford: I met Debbe at a party. We started talking, and I thought she was so phenomenal. She's really an extraordinary lady. She told this story about a young girl being afraid to tell people she was pregnant. She ended up killing her baby and putting it in a Dumpster. If that's going on in your life, [before you get to that point], you call Debbe, no questions asked. She'll place your child. It's all done aboveboard, and it's legal. She basically saves your baby for you.

Weekly: When is Project Cuddle's next fund-raiser?
Stafford: There's one in November in New York. I'm going to try to make it. I always donate a tour of [the] Y&R [sets]. I'm actually working with Debbe to do an event to mix in soap opera. We don't do a lot of things as a community. Wouldn't it be cool to have a party at my house with all the women of daytime? I could get them up to speed about what Debbe does. Everybody could donate 100 bucks. That would be great!

With the 35th anniversary of The Young and the Restless on the way, TV Guide Canada recently spoke to show star Michelle Stafford. Here's an excerpt:

TVG: You debuted on The Young and the Restless in 1994 — what’s been your favourite storyline thus far?
Michelle Stafford: The storyline with Dr. Tim when I was seducing the shrink. I loved the whole relationship between them because they were polar opposites. And then, the Phyllis-Nick affair, of course. Both Josh and I loved playing that. The way it was told was very real; it was fun to play a secret.

TVG: Are you surprised at how popular Nick and Phyllis are as a couple?
MS: Are we popular? I have to be honest, I don’t read blogs or anything online because I think artists don’t benefit from hearing criticisms or even the accolades, for that matter. I try to stay away from it all. It’s not good for me.

Read the full interview now.

Congratulations, Michelle Stafford!

The actress has nabbed the lead in a new indie film called 3 Days Gone. She'll portray a detective in the thriller, whose plot is summed up by IMDB.com as:

"Lucas Snow was buried alive and has lost three days of his life. His best friend is murdered and the two top crime bosses are hunting him down as well as the police. Will he find out who set him up?"

The film will hit theaters in May.

Stafford, of course, has spent the last several years playing Phyllis Summers Abbott Newman on The Young and the Restless.

Think you know all there is to know about Michelle Stafford, the actress who portrays Phyllis on The Young and The Restless?

Think again.

Here are a few fun facts about the star:

• In 2004, Stafford was the hockey correspondent for Best Dam Sports Show Period.

• She is a big fan of the band Live.

• Stafford won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1997, as well as one for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2004.

"It just comes out! It's like projectile communication [laughs]." — On her notoriously racy language during interviews, Soap Opera Digest, 8/22/00

"We love doing love scenes. It's fun. You get to make out with somebody. All the time. There are no ramifications. There's no, 'You didn't call me. How come you didn't call me?' You don't have to deal with that. And you're married." — In an interview with co-star Peter Bergman (Jack), Digest, 10/16/01