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Michelle Simms
Michelle

Gender

Female

Age

36

Occupation

Dance Teacher, Showgirl, Magician's Assistant

Friends

Truly Stone
Talia

Family

Scotty Simms (Brother)
Hubbell Flowers (Husband)†
Fanny Flowers (Mother-in-Law)

Work place

Paradise Dance Academy

First appearance

Pilot

Played By

Sutton Foster

Michelle Simms is the main character of Bunheads. She is played by Broadway actress Sutton Foster.

Biography[]

"When I was growing up, my home life was no big picnic either, it was like a Tennessee Williams play, but without all the happy endings, so I get it." – Michelle, to Sasha in No One Takes Khaleesi's Dragons

Michelle is a down-on-her-luck Las Vegas showgirl who impulsively gets married and moves to her husband's coastal town to work at her mother-in-law's dance academy. After only about 24 hours of marriage, Hubbell, her husband, dies in a car accident when searching for his mother and Michelle. Michelle is now left to stay with her new mother-in-law.

Season 1[]

Michelle is a Las Vegas showgirl and after a show she reveals that she gets to audition for Chicago and 'really dance again'. Hubbell, a sweet and lovable guy, comes by her dressing room several times, giving her presents and asking her to dinner. Michelle rejects him and then gets rejected at the audition upon her arrival. When she finally goes to dinner with Hubbell, he proposes to her and she reluctantly accepts. They move to Paradise, California where she meets Fanny, Hubbell's mother who takes and immediate dislike to Michelle however warms up to her after seeing the audition she made for Sasha, Boo, Ginny, and Melanie to show them what the audition process is usually like. The two bond at a bar when Truly, Hubbell's ex girlfriend tells them that Hubbell had recently passed away. In 'For Fanny', she tries to stop Fanny from making this an outrageous, out of control, and just plain crazy memorial ceremony. She helps the kids at Fanny's studio create a memorial performance for Hubbell that Fanny ends up loving.

Michelle and Fanny bond again but then are broken more apart when Michelle learns that she has just inherited everything from Hubbell. Fanny remarks at her about it but Michelle is overwhelmed, especially when Claire, a real estate agent, tried to convince her to sell the place. Michelle goes out for a drive when her new car, formally Hubbell's, breaks down on private property. She then meets Grant, a handsome rich man who owned the property and helped her move the car. She then stumbles upon the guest house and decides to live there while Fanny gets to live in the big house. Soon the two clash again when the Joffrey auditions come close. Fanny refuses to furnish the floors while Michelle tells her it's the only way and eventually Michelle is forced into seducing, which however fails when Fanny succeeds in seducing a guy to finish the floors and get the auditions back.

Michelle then buts heads again with Fanny regarding money. The fact that only nine out of Fanny's 75 students pay for classes got Michelle to tell every one to start paying. She fails and has to convince everyone she didn't mean what she said but Fanny comes up with an idea for Michelle to start teaching as well so she can open extra classes. Michelle refuses almost instantly and Fanny keeps on pursuing her to start teaching.

Fanny takes a sudden leave, which forces Michelle to start teaching but she first has to celebrate her birthday. He friend Talia comes down to visit and gives Michelle a letter containing her finally paycheck from Vegas.They blow it all at Sparkles and take Truly out to the movie truck and Michelle gets pretty drunk but has a heartfelt talk with Talia on how beautiful Paradise is. Michelle is still stuck teaching but does a seemingly great job however she gets mad when Sasha not only steals from her, but doesn't take her seriously. She yells at her and then gets yelled at by Claire, Ginny's mom, who blames Michelle for Ginny breaking up with Josh. She gets comforted by Nanette, who gives her grape juice and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. She joins Fanny for a night at the theater to see a play called Blank Up, It's Time. She and Fanny get easily confused but she gets to meet the director Conner. She and Conner get to chat and talk about the play. Michelle also meets Michael, Fanny's long-time boyfriend, who she gets along quite well with. Michelle wonders if they are so in sync, why hasn't their relationship gone further? Fanny tells her that Hubbell wasn't to fond of the idea. Michelle ends up sleeping with Conner after he invites her back to the theater, but begins to cry because she is reminded of Hubbell. All of her emotions she had in her all began pouring out as Conner tried to comfort her. She tells Fanny the next day that she was thinking of Hubbell, which Fanny appreciates. She tries to mend the relationship between Sasha and Fanny, trying to get them to apologize to each other. She also continues to teach classes at Fanny's studio and choreographs a dance for Fanny's annual Nutcracker performance, with Sasha as Clara. Michelle continues to try to help from helping Boo with Carl and Fanny with Michael, but she only makes things worse between her and Fanny. However the worst comes backstage at the Nutcracker when instead of spraying the dancers with water, she sprays them with mace. All the parents are furious at Michelle, but she takes a rest and falls into another dream audition. Michelle this time talks with her deceased husband, Hubbell. They share a moment before Michelle takes up and begins to leave. Sasha tries to stop her. The others follow but Michelle thanks them and runs off.

After her destruction of Fanny's production of The Nutcracker, Michelle moves back to Nevada and starts work as a dancer for a small time magician. However she hates it there and eventually Fanny managed to convince her to come back with the help of her wedding video. Michelle moves back into her house and resumes teaching at Paradise Dance Academy. Talia sets Michelle up with a blind date, which Michelle hates but she is soon stuck with Truly, who's landlord locked her out of her store. Michelle tries to help but then learns her landlord is her sister, Millie,  and fails in getting Truly her store back. Michelle also learns that Hubble used to date Mille and Truly stole Hubbell away. Michelle reveals to Millie she was Hubbell's husband, which contributes to Millie not helping Truly. 

Michelle and Fanny decide to fix their financial troubles by making an amphitheater on their land. However both get furious with Eric, the accountant who is annoyed with the two of them. Michelle decides to enroll a junior college business class to take care of the business side. However, Michelle discovers she never graduated from high school. She decides to relax at The Oyster Bar but it isn't so relaxing. First she screws up Sam in trivia and then she make bad first encounter with Godot after his return from Australia, accidentally calling him a dropout when he has a degree.

Michelle tries to make it up to Godot with a guilt gift (wrapped in her 2004 tax return) and he accepts it. She reunited with her brother, Scotty, after his failed 4th marriage. He stays with Michelle until he can get back up on his feet but it does't end pleasantly. He tells a story about Michelle, hating her old teacher and plotting to get her paralyzed to some of the Paradise Dance Academy students. They have a blow up later over various issues: from Michelle's beloved Ukulele that Scotty withheld from her, to Scotty's lack of responsibility. Michelle tells Scotty you make your own family and your own destiny, something Fanny taught her. Later, she and Scotty do a duet with the ukulele.

Scotty and Michelle prepare for Scotty's departure from Paradise. Per tradition, the sibling leaving will plan a fun activity for them to do. Michelle is worried for the trip Scotty is planning, fearing there will be no bathroom. Michelle eventually is shocked to learn that Scotty is now the guarding of their mother while they stopped at a pit-stop. Michelle gets into an argument with her mother, who only wanted to see her face. 

Michelle and Milly begin to prepare for the last obstetrical for the amphitheater, T.A.F.T.P.O.K.I.R.I.P. (The Association For The Preservation Of Keeping It Real In Paradise) is who they must talk to to get approval but they are the same lunatics who blocked the opening of a massive supermarket. During the meeting, Michelle is astonished at all the ridiculous comments they are making about endangering the squirrels. Michelle and Milly end up winning the debate. Michelle then helps with Ginny's audition and trying to convince Talia to go to New York.

Hubbellandmichelle

Michelle and Hubbell in her dream.

Trivia[]

  • Michelle trained at A.B.T.
  • She has had the most on-screen relationships.
  • Michelle has kissed George Clooney.
  • Michelle is best friends with Talia.
  • Michelle is the only main character to not be absent from an episode.
  • She danced on stage with Tom Jones with Talia.
  • Michelle won a Comic-Con Princess Leia contest with Talia.
  • Along with Talia, she snuck onto a plane with Bon Jovi.
  • Michelle toured with David Brenner for a year, which explains where most of her jokes come from.
  • The only gift she ever wanted, and got, was a Ukulele.
  • Michelle has possibly become the head instructor of the Paradise Dance Academy due to Fanny's continuous absences.
  • She has a T-shirt from a hotel signed by Siegfried & Roy after she saw their act. When Sasha had stolen it, she took it back and drew a line in the sand.
  • Her entire refrigerator is filled with skin moisturizer, peanut butter and ginger ale.


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