Vivica A. Fox Reveals Where ‘Y&R’s Stephanie Has Been for the Last 30 Years

For Fox, who originally played the role from 1994-95, the return wasn’t planned, but the timing ultimately felt right. “It was a total surprise, to be very honest with you,” begins Fox. “I’ve just signed with a new agent, Innovative Artists, and was just sitting at home chilling, and my head agent hit me and said, ‘Hey, guess who called looking for you today?’ And I was like, ‘Who?’ And they’re like, ‘Young and the Restless.’ I was like, ‘Young and the Restless? Really?’ And they were like, ‘Yeah, they want to know, do you want to come back as Stephanie Simmons.’”

That initial shock quickly turned into excitement once she learned the show was also bringing back Shemar Moore, who previously portrayed Stephanie’s love interest, Malcolm Winters. “I thought, ‘Get out of here. The genius of that would be incredible,’” she recalls. “And I said, ‘Well, if they can make it happen, sure, I’m interested. That’s amazing.’”

From there, the pieces began to fall into place creatively. Fox met with executive producer and head writer Josh Griffith via Zoom, where he outlined the storyline that would reunite the characters. “He said, ‘So, Malcolm is going to reach out to Stephanie, and he’s going to need some assistance. From there, the story unfolds,’” she relays. “So far, it’s been surprise after surprise after surprise. The audience is really going to be on the edge of their chairs as Stephanie and Malcolm come back, and I’m glad that I’m back and that Stephanie is back to finish her business with Malcolm.”

Despite the three-decade gap since her last soap stint, Fox found stepping back onto the set remarkably seamless. “When I filmed the first day, I saw that some of the actors from 30 years ago are still here,” she marvels. “So, it was like a wonderful homecoming for me. I got starstruck when I saw Melody [Thomas Scott, Nikki Newman].”

Still, she had to adjust to the demanding pace of daytime television. “I’m not gonna kid you, that first week was like boot camp,” she reports. “It was like we were doing a mini movie a week, but it’s really helped me that I do my Lifetime films, and we kind of shoot those quickly. So that muscle is still here.”

Her return also stirred some deeply personal memories, particularly of late costar Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters). “I walked into the producers’ offices, and there was a huge portrait of Kristoff,” she says. “Kristoff and I started Generations together years ago. I did my first little love scene with him and freaked out, ran out of the bed, ’cause I never did that before in my life. Kristoff and I did a Lifetime film together called A Christmas Cruise, and we were about to do a sequel because it was so popular, and then he passed away [in 2019]. So, it brought tears to my eyes. My whole heart just welled up, and I cried a little bit. I was like, ‘Gosh, excuse me for being so emotional, but that’s like your first love in a way, and my love for him will never die.’ They said, ‘Get it out, it’s cool. We miss him, too.’ And then we proceeded to move on, and here we go. Let’s get back up on the bike again.”

Revisiting Stephanie herself came easily. “She was into becoming the best doctor ever,” Fox recalls. “She loved her career and got a little sidetracked with Malcolm, like, ‘Yes, you’re gorgeous, but I gotta get this career off the ground.’”

As it turns out, Stephanie has become a success. “Stephanie today is a very accomplished doctor who lives in Manhattan, whose career is going absolutely amazing,” Fox shares. “She unfortunately lost her husband, so she’s still career-driven and successful, and here comes Malcolm back into her life to bring some drama.”

At the center of that drama is her enduring dynamic with Moore, which picks up right where it left off. “It’s so funny because I’ve seen Shemar throughout the years, and it’s always love and, ‘Hey, what’s happening?’” she relays. “I call him Shemarsky, and he goes, ‘Do you know you’re the only person that calls me that?’ I said, ‘I can imagine, but that’s who you are to me.’ Besides Young and the Restless, we also did a film together called Motives [in 2004], but I hadn’t seen him in a while since Criminal Minds and S.W.A.T., so it was good to work with him again.”

Their off-screen familiarity translated effortlessly on screen. “Everyone checked their ego at the door, so there were no barriers to break back through,” she notes. “Except he has a Ferrari now, and I couldn’t believe it. I was like, ‘Whose racecar is this?’ Shemar, you have a Ferrari? Really?’ He’s like, ‘Oh, it’s one of my eight cars.’ Meanwhile, I get in my Tesla and drive off in my electric car. But we both have grown and been very successful, and I’m very proud of him, and he’s a good daddy to his daughter Frankie.”

Interestingly, Fox’s return to daytime nearly took a different turn. “Well, to be honest with you, I actually introduced the two ladies who created Beyond the Gates, Michele Val Jean and Sheila Ducksworth,” she reveals. “Michele and I were trying to plan for me to get in with Beyond the Gates, but they film in Atlanta, and it just didn’t work out for me.”

Fox has been aware of Val Jean’s plans for years. “Michele and I did Generations together — Michele wrote that epic catfight scene [between Fox, who played Maya, and Jonelle Allen, who played Doreen],” Fox points out. “Over the years, we always stayed in touch, and she had that dream of creating that soap opera that we would talk about over dinner. And then with Sheila and me, our paths crossed, and she was like, ‘Hey, I’ve got some shows I’m trying to sell,’ and I said, ‘My friend Michele has written this show. Why don’t you guys connect and see if you guys can get it going?’ Boom. A year later, it’s the hot show that’s kind of bringing back daytime television.”

Ultimately, however, coming back to Y&R carries special significance, as the series played a pivotal role in launching her career. It was Fox’s final show before landing a part in Independence Day, which helped propel her into Hollywood stardom. “Oh, gosh, it was the beginning of my destiny,” she reflects. “I’m so grateful for Young and the Restless because Young and the Restless led to Independence Day, which then led to now having over 270 credits. It literally opened the doors.”

Now, that journey comes full circle. “There was no question to come back home again,” she adds. “They’ve just treated me so well, and it’s been excellent. I’m forever grateful to them and want to make some daytime magic.”

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