Michelle Phillips made a rare outing in Los Angeles.
The Mamas & the Papas singer, 81, was photographed running errands on Wednesday, June 11. Phillips stopped at a local gas station to fill up her tank. She also made a stop at the kiosk, where she perused the magazine rack and picked up some copies to read later.
Phillips donned a red floral kimono, black pants and flats. Her blonde hair was tied up in a high ponytail with a black scrunchie. She also rocked sunglasses as she was out and about on the sunny day.
Phillips is the sole living original member of The Mamas & the Papas. The legendary folk group previously consisted of Michelle’s former husband John Phillips, Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot.
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Michelle and John tied the knot in 1962. The couple founded the band three years later. The Mamas & the Papas recorded five studio albums as a group. They won a Grammy Award in 1967 for their song “Monday, Monday.” The Mamas & the Papas are best known for their tracks “California Dreamin’ ” and “Creeque Alley.”
In 1968, Michelle and John welcomed daughter Chynna Phillips, who is part of the trio Wilson Phillips. The following year, Michelle and John filed for divorce. The Mamas & the Papas officially disbanded in 1971.
While Michelle was a talented musician, she also dabbled in acting. Following the Mamas & the Papas’ split, Michelle got her big break in The Last Movie, which was helmed by Dennis Hopper. After production wrapped in 1970, she and Hopper tied the knot. However, their marriage didn’t last as they separated after eight days as husband and wife.
In 1973, Michelle snagged the role of Billie Frechette in the critically acclaimed crime biopic Dillinger, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
The Phillips family’s history is full of dark chapters, from abuse allegations to drug and alcohol addiction. Mackenzie Phillips and Chynna Phillips, who are both daughters of the Mamas & the Papas singer John Phillips, laughed about being labeled one of the “most dysfunctional” families in Hollywood during a December 2023 conversation shared via Chynna’s […]
Michelle continued to work on countless films in the 70s and 80s. In 1987, Michelle joined the series Knots Landing and remained on the cast until the show ended in 1993. She also appeared on episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210, The Magnificent Seven, 7th Heaven and more. Her last acting role was in the 2009 film Betrayal, though she has appeared in multiple documentaries.
In addition to Chynna, Michelle is mother to son Austin Deveraux Hines, whom she welcomed with ex Grainger Hines in 1982. She is also a mother figure to Aron Wilson, a friend of her son’s that she and ex Geoffrey Tozer took in as a member of their family. (Michelle and Tozer were together from 1987 to 1996.)
Michelle’s last known romantic partner was plastic surgeon Steven Zax. The couple started dating in 1999 and were together until his death in 2017.