Young & Restless’ Michelle Stafford to Adored Castmate: ‘I Am Glad You’re Alive’

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Credit: Bjoern Kommerell

Life is so much better when you have special people to spend it with.

The Young and the Restless’ Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) sent a very special shoutout to one of her nearest and dearest friends on February 26, and not only is he her castmate, he is her “only true love.” Greg Rikaart (Kevin) celebrated his birthday on Sunday and Stafford wanted him to know just how much he means to her.

“Happy birthday to my soul mate,” she began while sharing a sweet photo from behind the scenes of the CBS soap with her BFF. “My first love, the love of my life, my partner in crime, my only true love, my life partner, my spirit animal, my man above all men… The Greg Rikaart… I am glad you’re alive.”

More: Bold & Beautiful actress sends ‘cool’ co-star a message

Rikaart replied under the comments to express how he felt about Stafford too and said, “I love you. I love us,” as some of their castmates jumped in to send him birthday wishes as well. Susan Walters (Diane) and Eileen Davidson (Ashley) cheered, “Happy birthday,” while Elizabeth Hendrickson, who plays his onscreen wife Chloe, stated, “What a stud.”

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A post shared by Michelle Stafford (@therealstafford)

Oh course, fans sent messages as well and we hope the actor had a wonderful day with friends and family. We can’t get enough of seeing Stafford and Rikaart’s fun posts together! Speaking of which…

One of the funniest ones was when he stole her cell phone during the show’s 50th anniversary photo shoot, where this post turned up on Stafford’s Instagram page captioned, “PSA. Surround yourself with co-workers that tell the truth, steal your phone and make you laugh.”

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A post shared by Michelle Stafford (@therealstafford)

View another one of Stafford’s BFFs, who happens to play on a different soap, in our gallery below filled with photos of daytime stars’ closest gal pals.

GENERAL HOSPITAL - Episode “14973” – "General Hospital" airs Monday - Friday, on ABC (check local listings). (ABC/Troy Harvey)TABYANA ALI, EDEN MCCOY

Deidre Hall, Judi Evans "Days of our Lives" marlena bonnie hattie

Kimberly Matula, Linsey Godfrey "The Bold and the Beautiful" hope caroline hw

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These two go way back — further, even, than Stafford’s stint as Nina on General Hospital, where Hughes has played Anna since the 1980s. The Young & Restless leading lady — Phyllis on screen — was co-stars with Hughes in Aaron Spelling’s 1997 series, Pacific Palisades. In Stafford’s opinion, Hughes “is the original badass. The greatest friend to all,” she <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CP3y52lAnOy/" target="_blank">Instagrammed in 2021</a>. “So supportive of everyone and laughs at all of my jokes. That is the kind of pal to have.”

Crystal Chappell, Hillary B Smith venice

Alison Sweeney,Christie Clark "Days of our Lives" hw

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Days of Our Lives’ Carrie and Sami may rarely have been as close as the sisters that they are, but their portrayers have more than made up for it with their tight relationship. “We go <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCNHkKanASr/" target="_blank">waaay back</a>,” as Sweeney Instagrammed in 2020. “And it’s so crazy that now we’re talking about our daughters.” When the former co-stars cooked up some fun over the summer, “I even <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCHPn4SDQJo/" target="_blank">shaved my legs</a>,” joked Clark, “as if I was doing a love scene on Days.”

Emme Rylan, Kirsten Storms gh maxie lulu jj

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The General Hospital “knit-wits” — as in they’re witty and amazing knitters — are even closer than their characters, Maxie and Lulu. We know — it’s hard to believe. But, for instance, on Storms’ birthday, Rylan Instagrammed a shot of them and called it “<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-u4dgwAzGk/" target="_blank">the most realistic picture of us</a>.” Why? Because “I’ve slept in my work makeup and am wearing a grey sweatsuit ensemble,” she explained. “You? Lashes on. Nails did. Outfit on point. Being the baddest-ass bitch there ever was.”

Brad Bell, Katherine Kelly Lang, Kimberlin Brown, Daughter Alexes Pelzer "The Bold and the Beautiful" Set Celebrating 30 years of Shelia Carter CBS Television City Los Angeles, Ca. 10/25/22 © Howard Wise/jpistudios.com 310-657-9661

Chrishell Stause, Melissa Claire Egan AMC Amanda Annie jj

Chloe Lanier, Hayley Erin gh nelle kiki jj

GENERAL HOSPITAL - ABC's "General Hospital" stars Laura Wright as Carly Corinthos and Cynthia Watros as Nina Reeves. (ABC/Ricky Middlesworth)

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Friends since the 1990s, when they played Cassie and Annie, respectively, on Guiding Light, the Emmy-winning soap vets have been re-paired as General Hospital archenemies Carly and Nina. But the side-eye and bitch slaps end when their scenes do. Wright even <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/658464/general-hospital-cynthia-watros-laura-wright-reaction-online-threat/" target="_blank">rushed to Watros’ defense</a> when a “fan” took her animosity toward Nina way too far.

All My Children Bianca Maggie Eden Riegel Elizabeth Hendrickson hw

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BAM, indeed! Years after All My Children paired these two MVPs as star-crossed sweethearts Bianca and Maggie, their friendship was still going strong. Heck, all you had to do was look at the snaps from Hendrickson (now Chloe on The Young and the Restless) and Riegel’s 2017 jaunt to Sin City to see how in synch they still were. Also, was that the Village People’s “YMCA” dance that they were doing? “<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BRPNDz5jomP/" target="_blank">Looks just like BAM</a>,” laughed Hendrickson.

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Nothing bonds actors quite like a complicated General Hospital plot in which one of their characters passes off the other’s daughter as her own. Take it from Kirsten Storms, whose Maxie handed newborn Louise to Brook Lynn to raise as baby Bailey in 2021 — and, in the process, made a friend for life. Setton, Storms <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXo4bulvPoR/" target="_blank">Instagrammed</a>, is “wonderfully honest, open, loving, gorgeous, really [bleeping] funny, an effortlessly badass actor — can I get an amen to this, please? — a fantastic mama to three gorgeous kids, a great listener, an even better advice giver and a really supportive friend.” In other words, Setton rocks.

Eva LaRue and Sarah Michelle Gellar all my children maria kendall gray lock

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In 2019, All My Children’s former Maria told <a href="https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-eva-la-rue-interview/" target="_blank">Soap Opera Digest</a> that she still got together with her former co-star, who won an Emmy for her work as Kendall. And after a 2018 Live With Kelly and Ryan Halloween episode, LaRue reconnected with All My Children’s Hayley. “I just love her,” said LaRue. Ripa is “that friend where, no matter what, even if you haven’t spoken in a year, you pick back up mid-sentence, right where you left off the last time you were talking to her, and there is never a barrier or wall. She is exactly as fun and as real as you see on TV.”

gh eden McCoy laura wright josslyn carly

Kimberlin Brown Krista Allen sheila taylor

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