Vivica A. Fox has soap fans buzzing about her future on “The Young and the Restless.” The beloved actress reprised the role of Stephanie Simmons last spring and has remained part of the canvas since. However, a recent episode revealed Stephanie was leaving Genoa City, and now Fox’s future on “The Young and the Restless” has been brought into question.
Is Vivica A. Fox Out on ‘The Young and the Restless’
In the most recent episode of the CBS soap, Stephanie told Nate (Sean Dominic) she was leaving town for a while to spend time with her son Holden (Nathan Owens). The latter has been out of town, connecting with his father, Malcolm (Shemar Moore), and Stephanie plans to join them for a bit.
Stephanie’s exit means Fox won’t be around, and for a good reason. The character was written out to accommodate Fox filming the Netflix movie “Women Like Us”, which is executive produced by former First Lady Michelle Obama.
“Women Like Us” also stars Whoopi Goldberg, Jenifer Lewis, and Vanessa Williams. The timing of Fox’s on-screen exit from “The Young and the Restless” comes as Fox has confirmed that filming for the movie “Women Like Us” has wrapped.
It has not been confirmed that Fox will return to “The Young and the Restless”. The way Stephanie exited the show certainly leaves the door open for her to come back. Considering Stephanie was embarking on a burgeoning romantic relationship with Nate, there’s a good chance Stephanie and Fox will be back in the mix.
However, as fans know, “The Young and the Restless” had new head writers take over this summer. Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor are at the writing helm now, with their episodes hitting CBS airwaves in November. Neither O’Connor nor Giddens has commented on whether they plan for Stephanie to return or on where Stephanie’s relationship with Nate is headed.
One thing is for sure. Stephanie and Fox became fan favorites when they returned to Genoa City this spring, so hopefully the new writers will take that into account.
What Has Vivica A. Fox Said About Her ‘The Young and the Restless’ Stint?
Fox originated the role of Stephanie Simmons in 1994. After a 34-year absence, Stephanie and Fox were back in the mix last spring. What was supposed to be only a handful of episodes turned into six months.
Shortly after Stephanie was back on screen, the actress revealed that she planned to stick around for a while longer.
“I was thrilled, to be very honest with you. Most of the time, they’re like, ‘Oh, you did an arc, thank you very much, it’s been great.’ But no, the producer and the writers have all just been so kind and they were like, ‘We so appreciate what you’ve done and we’d love to do some more!’ So, stay tuned for more,” Fox shared with Soap Opera Digest.
Returning to the soap world and playing Stephanie was not on Fox’s 2026 bingo card, but it has been the best surprise for the actress.
“I never saw this one coming. It’s been such a surprising shock but so fulfilling, and I am just so happy to be home, I really am — and I want to thank all the fans for the support and welcoming Stephanie back. It’s a lot of work, but I absolutely love it. I love what I do, and I love being here on Young and the Restless,” she declared.
Is Vivica A. Fox Leaving ‘Young and the Restless?’