Michelle Stafford – “Doing it as a Single Chick”
“Doing it as a Single Chick” is not merely the subtitle of Emmy® Award-winning actress Michelle Stafford’s new website, but a lifestyle manifesto and declaration of female confidence and power. Perhaps the most apparent thing the former The Young and the Restless star is doing single is raising her young daughter, Natalia. In oft-colorful language, Stafford pulls no punches in her blogs about the experience of parenting or being a mature new mother. And gives single-chick straight talk on style, body image, décor and, yes, even men.
With “Doing it as a Single Chick,” Stafford has provided women a smart, strong, and socially interactive source of validation, acknowledging not only a single chick’s challenges, but also her strengths. It’s the cyber equivalent of having a cup of coffee with a true friend – the kind who has great ideas and who always reminds you of all that’s right and good about you.
Stafford’s other big project is The Stafford Project, her web series that debuted August 5th. It’s an engaging and often humorous look into the life of a 40-something soap opera star who is also a new, single mother (“Exaggerated elements of me,” Stafford clarifies) and with it, Michelle expands into the world of comedy, admittedly and therapeutically finding the humor in “all the degrading things that happen to me,” as she told TV Guide. “But even the most difficult things in my life are riddled with comedy.” Practically nothing is off limits in The Stafford Project, from the entertainment industry taboo (or maybe not-so-taboo) about age to Stafford’s romantic foibles to…just exactly how did she have that baby all by herself?
About Michelle
Michelle Stafford is among the most recognizable faces in television, having had a successful 16-year run as Phyllis Summers on daytime’s The Young and The Restless, viewed by more than 20 million people every day in some 20 countries. Stafford took home two Emmys (was nominated a total of 10 times) and two Soap Opera Digest awards for her work as Summers.
Though she remained with Y&R for 16 years, “The outrageously sexy Stafford” (TV Guide) concurrently lent her talent and presence to numerous other series, including Aaron Spelling’s drama Pacific Palisades (13 episodes), Dick Wolf’s Players, Two Guys, A Girl and A Pizza Place, JAG, Diagnosis Murder, Judging Amy, Frasier and a recurring role on Pamela Anderson’s VIP. She also branched out into movies, appearing opposite Ashley Judd in the film Double Jeopardy (directed by the acclaimed Bruce Beresford) and starring in the psychological thriller Attraction, opposite Tom Everett Scott (That Thing You Do!).
Despite the amount of activity that is required of a successful artist in Hollywood, Michelle still makes time to contribute to such philanthropic endeavors as The Hollywood Education and Literacy Project and Citizens Commission on Human Rights. “You come to the realization that you have to help,” said Stafford, who was honored by the National Foundation for Women Legislators for her human rights campaigning. “Are you part of the solution or the problem? Or are you just sitting on the side eating a cheese sandwich watching your world deteriorate? I’d rather do something to change conditions. That one person I help could help two, and then they could help three others and so on and so on… It’s important.”
Stafford currently resides in Los Angeles with her daughter Natalia.
