‘The Young and the Restless’ star Michelle Stafford wins Daytime Emmy

The other nominees were Finola Hughes, Cynthia Watros, Katherine Kelly Lang, Annika Noelle, and Tamra Braun.

Michelle Stafford won the 2024 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series: Actress on June 7. 

Stafford, who plays Phyllis Summers on 'The Young and the Restless,' was nominated alongside Finola Hughes and Cynthia Watros from ‘General Hospital,’ Katherine Kelly Lang and Annika Noelle from ‘The Bold and the Beautiful,’ and Tamra Braun from ‘Days of Our Lives.’

In her acceptance speech, the 58-year-old Stafford commended Hughes as "the best actress in the room" and a "greatest friend." She also expressed that the award should be shared with the entire cast and crew of ‘The Young and the Restless,’ saying, "Every single one of you should have one of these." 

Additionally, she thanked Sony and CBS, acknowledged her children Jameson and Natalia, and expressed her gratitude for her acting career.

"I am honored to entertain people. I'm honored to be here amongst you all tonight, truly." she said.

Stafford first appeared on ‘The Young and the Restless’ in 1994. Although her role as Phyllis Summers was initially intended to be temporary, her impressive performance led producers to offer her a contract to continue reprising the role periodically. In 2019, she left her role as Nina Reeves on ‘General Hospital’ and returned to ‘Y&R’ as Phyllis.

The 2024 Daytime Emmy Awards will be broadcast on the CBS Television Network and can be streamed live and on-demand on Paramount+.