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Michael Graziadei On Gina Tognoni As Y&R's New Phyllis: "I Would Love To Get In There And Work With Her At Some Point!"
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
Former The Young and the Restless star Michael Graziadei has been off the number one soap opera since the end of 2012 as Daniel Romalotti, or as many people may also know him as … the son of Phyllis! Graziadei returned to Y&R in 2013 for a short stint, but these days Michael can be seen starring in Lifetime’s new series, The Lottery!
In a new interview out in this week’s Soap Opera Digest (on newsstands now), the talented young star offers up his thoughts on Gina Tognoni now taking over the role of Phyllis from Michelle Stafford, who Michael worked with for many years.
Graziadei stated: “Gina is awesome! She’s fantastic and will do a great job. I’d love to get in there and work with her at some point! But isn’t Gina really young? (Laughs) It’s not so much me coming back (that would be the problem), it’s if she would want me to come there and say, ‘Hey Mom!'”
So, would you like to see Michael return to Y&R for a visit when Phyllis finally wakes up out of her coma? What do you think about Michael’s sentiments on Gina Tognoni? Let us know!
I know it might look silly, but for the story to fly, one would expect Daniel to be a part of Phyllis’s return — so I hope he can come back for a return engagement — but perhaps they will recast Daniel, since this show can’t seem to go a month without recasting someone. Another Adam reject they want to give a job to no doubt if they did go that route.
Michael ie an excellent young actor.
he has a point! he looks too old to play Gina’s son. which is why they should have hired someone older.
Ever noticed, the parents never age as fast as the kids do? lol
If only that was true in real life…lol
No kidding! lol
he’s 35, Michelle Stafford is 49, so he was too old to be her son as well unless, of course, she had him when she was 14. it’s called suspension of disbelief people! Gina Tognoni is one of the few name actresses in the right age category that will be able to make this part her own. Stafford is an incredibly tough act to follow, but Gina’s gonna rock it! EVEN in scenes with her son
Gina Tognoni is a bit too young for the role of Phyllis..
Y&R has a horrible casting dept aha..
But what can you do .. I’m sure she will be fine ..
High School plays are casted better! Heres the thing, Gina is too young to play Daniels mother but for the other characters like Summer, Jack, Nick, and Sharon, she will fit in, age wise.
I think they ( Grazadei and Tognoni ) are only 6 years apart so I get where he is coming from! Can’t wait until Gina’s first airdate she is going to be a pleasure to watch! Pretty much the only thing I’m looking forward to on Y&R right now, if you don’t count Eileen Davidson returning in September.
LMAO..cuz in the real world this phyllis would have had him when she was 6 years old and Michelle’s Phyllis would have had him when she was 14. He is so right that would be incredibly awkward to play son to an actress who is only 6 years older than you. Makes no sense and now there will most definately be a new younger Daniel to incite fans unhappiness with those show even more. Phyllis wakes up..Daniel MUST be there. Or they’ll do what I suspect and keep on writing as if it makes no difference what so ever and not even bring him back. He’ll call. Oh..glad you woke up gurl!!
this not those
On GH the actor who played Trey was only 4 years younger than yge actress who played Connie, his mother.
Tv shows and movies have always had tons of actors who while that playef parents and the actorswho played their kids were less than 10 years apart in real life. It is no big deal.
Graziadei is 34 and Michelle Stafford is 47/48. She was also too young to play his mom. I think Gina Tognoni is talented enough to carry this off.
I love the Y&R but I like all the old cast.. I don’t like that you change the actors so much.. And the story line drags out to much…I am starting to watch Day of our Lives that’s on the same time as Y&R..
the now Y&R opening credits- doesn’t even look like Y&R any longer..
when I see the opening credits I just cringe at the newly appointed stars (newbies..
I love Gina so much, but I scratched my head when they cast her as Phyllis. She is MUCH too young for that role! I didn’t realize that Gina and Michael are only 6 years apart, but um…yeah…having him come back with Phyllis’s return would be awkward. What are they thinking at Y&R casting? The last 2 Billy’s have been horrible and Cady McClain isn’t right for the Kelly role (I love her, by Cynthia Watros was much better. With the re-cast, her sleeping with Billy isn’t realistic.),
I have never heard of her! Where was she prior to landing the gig on Y&R?
put ‘ Gina Tognoni ‘ in your search; google her .. you find all .. 🙂
One Life To Live and Guilding Light was some of her previous work…you can always google actors unfamiliar to you and learn about them…
She’s a fantastic and charismatic actress who won a Daytime Emmy as Dinah Marler on Guiding Light (a spitfire character who didn’t always do the right thing, much like Phyllis). She also played Kelly Cramer on One Life to Live. She’s one of daytime’s best.
I agree..She is one of daytime’s best..Every role she takes, she is great..I am sure regardless of the age issue, she will deliver and kick ass as Phyllis…Y&R is back on track!!!
He’s right. Gina is 40 and Michael is 34.
Would love to see Michael return at some point. I miss him.
Jack Wagner played the son of Lesley Anne Down on B&B and he looked older than she did. Gina is the only good casting choice Y&R has made. New Billy is terrible.
Exactly Jack Wagner is 54 and Lesley Anne Down is 60 and they played mother and son! It was a stretch, but they pulled it off for years.
The new Billy looks like Jack Wagner.
I would love to see Michael return as Daniel, even in a guest capacity, and have some scenes with Gina’s Phyllis! I miss Daniel somewhat, and cannot await for Phyllis’ return to Genoa City!
Gina and Michael would like weird lol
She would come off as a cougar with a younger stud .. but not mother and son..
casting has been terrible, both Bill’s=awful..
hope Gina can pull off being thee Phyllis..
Gina is an old soul. She will be able to play Phyllis 10-15 years older to her actual age, I have no doubt. Even when she was on OLTL, her character Kelly was like a nutty old lady in a beautiful young woman’s body. Gina can pull it off. I hope Graz comes back!
He was always one of my favorites on the show and I was very disappointed when you cut him out! He had his own style, he is adorable and he played his role great. I miss him.
It was his choice and it was a good one he is having much success away from Y&R.
Stay away Daniel! I know Phyliss is his mother but we havent missed the character. You have to ask yourself with people like him, what can he bring to the show to make it better? NOTHING! Think about it, Daniel, Chloe, Ronan, Phillip, Kyle, Fen, none of these characters matter. I would like to see Heather [Eden Riegel] come back now that Paul and his new family are center stage.
Eden Reigel was completely miscast in that role, she looks absolutely nothing like Paul or her new brother, Dylan. Sure, Reigel is a good actress, but not for the role of Heather. The only actress able to pull that role off well was Vail Bloom, the original actress. Jennifer Landon was good, but she was only on for 5 months and has nothing in terms of substantial material to make a lasting impression.
Your right Jimmy, Vail Bloom was excellent.
Timmm, I totally agree with you. Eden Reigel was TOTALLY MISCAST in the role of Heather….in fact I hated her in that role. She will always be Bianca to me. Same thing with Billy Miller, Michelle Stafford and Michael M.
They WERE Billy A., Phyliss N. and Adam N. Wish all three would return. It would certainly improve the show. I did not care for David Tom in the role of Billy…he was too young and came across as a whiny kid. I like the actor now playing Billy. Granted, he is not Billy Miller, but he is doing an adequate job. Gina T will never be another Phyliss in my opinion. Loved her on OLTL but just don’t think she can pull off the snark and deviousness. Now to vent: sorry, but have to gripe a little bit. Story lines are way to long…need to complete them a lot quicker than they have been doing. That was one of the best things I liked about this show when I started watching…they resolved things much quicker than they do now. I am sick to death of Victoria and Stitch. I am tired of her constant “poor me” attitude. Billy made one mistake and she has gone to bed with Stitch numerous times. Same with her mother, grow a backbone Nicki and get on with it. Can’t stand Stitch now…he has become obnoxious where she is concerned and so arrogant and so sure that baby is his. Like Cady, but she is not the right age for this role. I won’t get into Nick and Sharon….would take too much time. Thanks for allowing me the time to vent.
Most actors and actresses can play roles 5-10 years younger or older than they actually are – Michael Graziadei is 34 but can easily play 25… Billy Miller is 35 but can play 40-45.
And the problem isn’t so much Gina T’s casting, its that Daniel was SORASed. He was born originally in 1994, making him 20 in real life. But he’s in his high-twenties because that’s what the writers needed when they were writing story for him. The same thing is happening with Noah right now – he was born in 1997, making him a teenager now, but he’s already in his mid-twenties.
Gina T is 40 right now… so 20 years ago, she would have been 20, and that’s how old Phyllis said she was when she came to town in 1994, the same year Daniel was born! Which means that everything works out logically. The problem isn’t Gina’s age, its that Daniel was SORASed and now MG looks too old to play GT’s son.
No amount of number crunching can change the fact they’re only six years apart. Especially on camera and i’m sure she didn’t allow herself to be even slightly aged with make up for the role.
they could never pull of being mother and son ((another horrible casting)
but-
Daniel and Gina most likely will never be on screen together..
Sorry, but there’s no way to think of landing Gina Tognoni, a breath of fresh air in any role, as horrible casting. Do you think they should have cast the role around an actor who quit the show years ago? Gina is age appropriate to be Phyllis. It’s not her fault, nor the fault of Michael G., that the character of Daniel was aged so drastically. This is the result of SORASing, and it happens all over the soaps.
Yes, SORASing has wreck havoc with many a soap’s time line– by next summer we should have teenage Reed and Faith to add to that list.
The problem with bringing Daniel back in part is outside of being there when his mother comes out of her coma, there is little story possibility for him. All the age appropriate characters are matched up to others so what could they tie him into?
Of course, I think he would be perfect to put together with Kevin if they ever were brave enough to do a gay story with him. They were good friends, both been in tumultuous relationships with women and could end up turning that friendship into more. I am sure many people would go off the rails if they did this, however.
That’s the problem, there are not many late-twenty to early-thirty characters on this show. Other than Lily, Cane, Devon, Kevin and Tyler, the other characters either fall into the late-teen to early-twenties (Summer, Noah, Abby, Mariah), late-thirties to forties (Billy, Victoria, Nick, Sharon, Phyllis, etc) or 50+ (Victor, Nikki, Jack, etc).
Chance, Ronan, Chloe, Heather, Daniel… all of these well-established characters that fit this age block are off the show, which doesn’t make any sense from a story standpoint because characters this age are the show’s future, and ones like Chance, for example, will one day be the head of one Y&R’s more important, core families.
The MOST laughable re-cast was Jed Allan’s brief stint as Edward Quartermaine. He was but two years older than son Alan!
And it was a bad idea and showed on camera. Never worked.
This is just another STELLAR (NOT!) casting job by CBS/SONY and JFP! JFP is notorious for getting it wrong–Hunter King (Summer), David Tom (Billy), Melissa Ordway (Abby), Max Ehrich (Fen) …. Getting the appropriate age would have only mattered had the leadership had a brain! They have shown consistently they are only worried about this particular minute. To Hell with the Long Term fit of a character! JFP and Angelica (at CBS) ARE RUINING THIS SHOW! Hire a 30+ or 40+ year-long FAN for the EP job and it could be saved! SMH
JFP doesn’t do the casting ..
The casting dept casts the characters..
I’m not sure if JFP has much say about it..
Nonetheless; the casting has been horrible ..
Are you serious? The Executive Producer has final say on every aspect on the show, including casting. The casting people are there to give the EP all the options and their recommendations, they do the interviews and audtions, but in the end it is the EP and Sony who have to sign off on it– no JFP has a lot a say in casting otherwise Steve Burton wouldn’t be on the show.
I have to disagree with you, Linda. Getting Emmy-winner Gina Tognoni is actually a casting coup for Y&R. And as a bonus it’s a nice nod to CBS soaps fans, who have missed her since “Guiding Light” was cancelled. As other posters have eloquently pointed out: These little age discrepancies happen all over daytime, and Gina is actually the correct age for Phyllis. The problem is the character of Daniel was aged too much.
JFP has everything to do with the casting!! Who the heck do you think hired Steve Burton and brought him on to totally revamp the history of Nikki. Little Bo Peep?
Other JFP castings Melissa Ordway/Abby, Hunter King/Summer, Robert Adamson/Noah, Burgess Jenkins/nu/nu/Billy and trust me if they ever cast Adam it will be an FOJ.
Gina T is a great actress and will fit well with the rest of the cast, Phyllis is an important character and Gina’s talents will no doubt shine in the role. Yes, there have been some questionable casting choices recently, but Gina is not one of them.
He will never share a scene with her he is no longer on the show. All of these kids go up the stairs at age 7 and walk down age 18. The fact that Phyllis was made a grandma under MAB was so stupid that fact will never be mentioned. They will have a phone call or two then no mention of them again if even that. GT is a fine actress sorry she signed on for this mess of a show I guess she needs the pay check.
He’s absolutely right. Gina is beautiful and talented and now Phyllis will be played by someone who is much younger and looks much younger. Phyllis well looked into middle age when played by Michelle Stafford, who just was no longer convincing–sorry, but some people age well and others don’t, and it was absolutely impossible, and laughable, to see her as possibly being involved with Nick. The de-SORASed Phyllis will have so many new opportunities for storylines and will also look to be in the same decade of age as Sharon. She will look like a young mom if MG comes back to play Daniel, but that will be fine by me. Stafford is now over at GH doing her embarrassing over-the-top acting and YR is lucky to be rid of her and welcoming the much more capable Gina T.
Michelle Stafford is knocking it out of the park at GH.. great acting!
she is doing an excellent performance..
Y&R loss GH’s gain..
Michelle Stafford (Nina) GH.. Rocks! .. two thumbs up!
Gina’s (Phyllis ) to two thumbs down.. .. 🙂
MS will always hold Phyllis ..
What I would like is for Jill Farren Phelps and Angelica McDaniel to be fired. Sweep the writing staff, fire ALL of the newbies, & hire people who truly care about the characters, of the show, who will write a balanced ensemble show, period.
ALL the great loved characters are gone..
Y&R is not recognizable– look at the opening credits!! all newbies or dullards ..
Looks like they are getting rid of the old and in with younger new..
they are trying to put the ”young” back into Y&R..
From your lips to God’s ear su0000. Love your idea. Cannot stand the new Abby. I get so tired of hearing her laugh after every stupid sentence she utters.
and PLEASE FIRE JILL FARREN PHELPS. She is a total DIASTER as EP. I did read a few months ago that both Michael M and Michelle S were offered their jobs back and both declined. What a shame. Michael should never have been fired…….Billy Miller would have stayed if they had just given him the “outs” he requested to do other things and IMO Michelle and JFP must have clashed big time for her to leave a show that she had been on for 16 years.
Let JFP start a new soap online with her Y&R newbies. Get a new EP, rehire what & who made this show so special.
Bring back the beloved actors- Miller, Muhney;
Adrienne Franz as Amber with Michael Graz, I loved.
Gina T should have been hired as Victoria, Amelia did not have a big following.
Vail Bloom looked like DD Paul, who needs Dylan?
Back to the topic, MG was so natural as Daniel, he would be lovely with Gina T and as I said, bring Amber back to create a storyline.
They do need a gay sl. Kevvie is your man, so run with it. Let him out of the closet, this is the 21st century.
Does anyone listen?! Doubtful.
I would love to see Daniel again!!! Anytime!!! Anywhere!!! But as far as this new Phyllis goes… she sucks!!! She could never hold a candle to Michelle Stafford… NO ONE COULD!!!
Both Michael and Gina are great at their craft and would be a great to each other if Michael would return. Frankly I miss seeing him on Y&R. (hint..hint)
I would love to see Michael Graziadei back on Y&R if only for a short visit. Only he can play Daniel. Phyllis is awake and Daniel should be present.
It looks like the current run of Lucas Adams (Noah) and Tamara Braun (Sienna) on The Young and the Restless is coming to an end, after the Monday, August 3 edition of the CBS daytime drama revealed that Noah and Sienna are leaving Genoa City and heading back to Los Angeles.
In the storyline, Noah informed his mother, Sharon (Sharon Case) and half-sister Mariah (Camryn Grimes) that he and Sienna made the decision to move back to the West Coast to put distance between themselves and Matt Clark (Roger Howarth). Although Noah did not say it was a permanent move, he did assure his mom that once Matt is hopefully gone from Genoa City they could return.
However, as previewed already on the video teaser for this week’s episodes of Y&R (see below), it appears Noah left Genoa City’s The Shadow Room to be run by a returning Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian). So with that, coupled with today’s episode, it would appear the move could wind up being more permanent.
Photo: JPI
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Adams made his Y&R debut on November 4, 2025 as the successor to Rory Gibson who last played Noah on-screen in April of 2023. Earlier in 2025, Gibson took over the role of Michael Corinthos on Genera Hospital replacing Chad Duell, who stepped away from the part after 15 years.
Braun who played Adam’s mother on Days of Our Lives when she was Ava Vitali and he was Tripp Dalton, first appeared on Y&R back on October 14, 2025, where we soon learned she had become Noah’s lover as the new character, Sienna Bacall. It should be noted, Adams was on contract with the number #1 soap, while Braun has been on recurring status.
With Josh Griffith now exited as head writer of The Young and the Restless, and the newly announced co-head writing team of Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor having taken his place and starting their new tenure this week, it will be interesting to see how the duo resets the show, and if a Noah and Sienna return is in the cards for the future or not.
So, what do you think about the seeming departures of Lucas Adams and Tamara Braun from The Young and the Restless? Weigh-in via the comment section. But first, check out our recent live chat with Tamara and Lucas on the Michael Fairman Channel.
Rosie O’Donnell revealed that she plans to head back to a seat at the table of ABC’s morning talk show The View.
The announcement came during Monday’s episode of The Tangle Podcast where she shared she will participate in “in whatever way they want” her or “just as a guest” for its upcoming 30th season.
The View’s season 30 will kick-off this fall in September. O’Donnell explained, “They’re bringing back all the hosts, I think. And, you know, I’m pretty proud of that show, what it’s become and how it really speaks to the people and to politics.”
Photo: ABC
ROSIE ON HER PREVIOUS GO-ROUNDS ON THE VIEW
As fans of The View know, O’Donnell famously had two different one-year stints on the talk show in 2007 and again in 2014- 2015. She often feuded with then co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck.
However, during her discussion with host, Kyle Ridley on The Tangle Podcast, O’Donnell also noted she often had tense moments with longtime moderator and anchor, Whoopi Goldberg.
O’Donnell also expressed, “Many, many people got the short end of the stick there. It was, you know, it was a factory where people were being churned in and out and their tenuous security, nobody got to be calm. It also was a show at the time that was run by a man. A show created by a woman, for women, about women, and the man was deciding what we should talk about. And that didn’t sit right with me, you know.”
Back in 2023, Brooke Shields had asked Rosie on her podcast, Now What? with Brooke Shields, about how she felt on her two stints at The View and all the controversy that surrounded it. Rosie at that time, stated, “I know this, it’s not the best use of my talent to get in a show where I have to argue and defend basic principles of humanity and kindness. It was not something I’d ever do again.”
You can check out the clip with Rosie and Kyle Ridley discussing her return to The View in some form for its upcoming 30th season below.
Then weigh-in: Would you be excited to see Rosie, even for a one-day or a week guest stint on the upcoming celebratory season of The View, or not so much? Let us know via the comment section.
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General Hospital Fan Club Weekend brought out many of your favorites to the four day event; with the main cast gathering on Saturday, August 1. Fans near and far attended the weekend held this year at the Burbank Marriott Hotel. Whether it be the main cast event or the smaller more intimate events featuring two or three cast members a great time was had by all.
Some of the cast participating in the main cast event included: Cyrus Hobbi (Yuri), Gary James Fuller (James), Bradford Anderson (Spinelli), Viron Weaver (Wiley), Paige Herschell (Jacinda), Chris McKenna (Brennan), Josh Kelly (Cody), Kayden Brenna Tokarsi (Scout), Cassandra James (Terry), Laura Wright (Carly), Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane), Rick Hearst (Ric), Adrian Anchondo (ex-Marco), and Chloe Lanier (ex-Nelle).
In addition to, Van Hansis (Lucas), Cameron Mathison (Drew), Ryan Paevey (ex-Cassius), Easton Rocket Sweda (Leo), Maurice Benard (Sonny), Kristen Vaganos (Molly), Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Kate Mansi (ex-Kristina), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth), Cynthia Watros (Nina), Kristina Wagner (Felicia) and more.
Take a look at some of the snaps from the main event arrivals below:
Photo: HutchinsPhoroi
GH’s Rick Hearst with on-screen daughter, Kristen Vaganos, plus Nancy Lee Grahn, and Kate Mansi.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
GH’s Maurice Benard on-hand to meet the fans.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto.com
Jack Brennan in the house … Chris McKenna.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Adrian Anchondo, Van Hansis and Anchondo’s boyfriend, Days of Our Lives, Colton Little.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
GH’s Josh Kelly and his gal, the former Nelle Benson of Port Charles, Chloe Lanier.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Who is James’ father? Not Cassius or Spinelli, actually. Actors Gary James Fuller, Ryan Paevey and Bradford Anderson!
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
One of General Hospital’s newest cast members, Kayden Brenna Tokarski attends her first GHFCW event.
Check out some more arrival images featuring: Laura Wright (Carly), Cassandra James (Terry), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane) and more in the gallery below.
Michael Fairman TV will be adding more images to this post in the day ahead.
So, were you glad to see so many of your GH favorites attending this year’s General Hospital Fan Club Weekend? Let us know via the comment section.
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‘General Hospital’ Fan Club Weekend 2026 (Photos)
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GH Alum Nicholas Alexander Chavez Lands Role in Paramount’s Remake of ‘Possession’
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Rosie O’Donnell Says She Will Return to ‘The View’ During its Season 30
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GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Serena Sets Her Sights on Michael; Jason’s Emotional Exit from the Mob
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