Michelle Stafford Loves That Phyllis Isn’t the Only 1 Who Wants Diane Gone
When Diane Jenkins returned to Genoa City, fans and residents became wary and on their guard. Diane doesn’t have the best history on The Young and The Restless, as most of her time has been spent trying to ruin lives.
Diane’s return has resulted in an alliance between Phyllis Summers, Nikki Newman, and Ashley Abbott. Actor Michelle Stafford loves that her character isn’t the only one who wants Diane gone.
Why can’t Phyllis stand Diane?
Phyllis and Diane have one of the longest-running feuds on Y&R, dating back decades. Their feud began in 2001 when Diane tried interfering in Phyllis’ marriage to Jack Abbott. Diane has always had an obsession with wealthy men, and her initial infatuation was with Victor Newman.
The villain tried getting pregnant with Victor’s baby, but Nikki Newman switched the sperm sample for the next best thing, Jack Abbott. Diane found the turn of events exciting, and since her son Kyle Abbott was already here, she tried to use him to get closer to Jack.
The only issue was that Jack was married to the hotheaded Phyllis, thus starting their decade-long feud. Jack tried suing Diane for custody of Kyle but lost due to Phyllis’s inability to control her emotions. As a result, Diane and Kyle moved to the Jabot house, and Diane immediately began scheming.
Diane’s attempts to break Phyllis and Jack eventually failed. She and Kyle left Genoa City. When Diane presumably died in 2011 at Nikki and Deacon Sharpe’s hands, Phyllis and everyone else felt some relief and thought they’d seen the last of Diane.
However, earlier this year, Diane made contact with Jack and eventually showed herself to him and the rest of the world. Although Diane claims she wants a fresh start, Phyllis refuses to buy into her sob story and is working to prove Diane hasn’t changed.
Michelle Stafford is happy Phyllis has help in taking down Diane
When Nikki learned Diane was back in town, she knew she had to do something to take Diane down once again for good. Nikki enlisted Phyllis’ help. The pair approached Ashley Abbott, thus forming the trio of doom. Soap Opera Digest caught up with Phyllis’ portrayer, Stafford, who expressed her glee at her character, having help in ensuring Diane is gone and stays gone.
The actor said she is “really glad,” the showrunners added Nikki and Ashley to the story. Stafford said that while Phyllis can easily take down Diane on her own, she is happy to welcome more help, especially from other women, because playing a character whom the whole world is against can be challenging.
“When I heard Nikki and Ashley were going to team up to take Diane down, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s kind of a cute story point. That’s cool,'” Stafford said.
Fans are overwhelmingly Team Diane
Phyllis may not believe Diane has changed, but fans do and are overwhelmingly on her side. In a recent Twitter thread, fans called out Nikki and Phyllis, pointing out that Diane doesn’t have a history of killing people, unlike Nikki and Phyllis.
One fan wrote, “This is so sad. A group of evil women double teaming a woman who’s done nothing wrong to them and is just trying to do better in life and improve.” Another asked, “Couldn’t these 2 get a life? Shouldn’t Nikki be doing something, anything at Newman Towers? Phyllis would know a town pariah. She’s been one for decades! Wait until Jack goes back to Diane.”
One user wrote, “The biggest hypocrite and criminal in that room is Phyllis followed by Nikki. Diane hasn’t killed anyone. I hope Diane flips the table on them.” Some fans thought it was foolish of Phyllis to sell her hotel just to get back at Diane.
