Emmy winner Gina Tognoni is Y&R's new Phyllis

Emmy winner Gina Tognoni is Y&R's new Phyllis

Guiding Light and One Life to Live star Gina Tognoni has been cast as The Young and the Restless's new Phyllis Summers. The role had been previously played by Michelle Stafford, who earlier this year joined the cast of General Hospital.

The search for a new Phyllis Summers is over: two-time Emmy winner Gina Tognoni has landed the coveted role that first went out as a casting call earlier this month.

"I am beyond blessed to play this incredible role of Phyllis Newman at Young and the Restless. I am thrilled to be back on CBS," Tognoni shared on Facebook. "Thank you for your support I feel it in my HEART. So excited to work with this Amazing cast and crew. I am grateful To my beautiful Husband, my family, friends and The best FANS in the world."

According to TV Guide Magazine, which first reported the news, "Tognoni's audition and take on the character was 'flawless.'"

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Tognoni is known to daytime fans for two roles. She made her daytime debut in February 1995 as Kelly Cramer on ABC's One Life to Live. She remained with the show for six years, but returned briefly in 2002 and on a more extended basis in 2010.

From July 2004 to September 2009, Tognoni appeared as Dinah Marler on CBS's long-running Guiding Light. During her time with GL, Tognoni was named Outstanding Supporting Actress at the Daytime Emmys in 2006 and 2008.

Tognoni has also appeared in the Emmy-winning web series Venice.

The role of Phyllis was vacated by Michelle Stafford nearly a year ago. Since that time, Phyllis has languished in a coma. Stafford has since gone on to join the cast of General Hospital, where she'll make her next on-screen appearance on June 3.

For her part, Stafford took to Twitter to officially pass the torch to Tognoni.

"Now I want u 2 give [love] @ginatognoni who will now be playing the role of #phyllis on #YR," Stafford wrote. "[S]he will be awesome!!!"

No first airdate has been announced, but Tognoni is expected on-screen by late summer.

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Edited by SC Desk