Hollywood stars Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone were hired to star in director Paul Verhoeven’s 1992 movie, Basic Instinct. At the time, Douglas was a well-known name in the industry while Stone was slowly gaining traction. That movie brought overnight fame for Stone, however, working in the movie was no less than a nightmare for her.
Michael Douglas was also opposing the idea of her casting in the movie because he felt like Stone didn’t have much influence on the industry. Many big actresses turned down the role mainly because it required filming a lot of n*de scenes.
Michael Douglas didn’t want Sharon Stone to star in Basic Instinct
Back in 1992, actor Michael Douglas told Entertainment Weekly that he wanted a more famous actress to play his love interest in Basic Instinct (1992) and not actress Sharon Stone. He said,
“I thought, all right, I’ll handle this, but I want somebody of equal stature to share the risks. I don’t want to be up there all by myself on this one.”
At the time, Stone was a budding actress, and starring in Paul Verhoeven’s movie was the perfect opportunity for her. Douglas opposed the idea of Stone’s casting despite getting paid $13.5 million more than her for the role.
Sharon Stone was uncomfortable around Michael Douglas
Stone once revealed that she didn’t feel comfortable around Douglas despite having such good chemistry on-screen. In an interview with Playboy, the actress said,
“I had met him on two or three occasions in social situations before I tested with him for this movie. I really felt that he and I could have a certain strange, dynamic energy together. I was never comfortable around him, and I don’t think he was comfortable around me.”
Over the years, she hasn’t spoken much about the experience and there’s no bad blood between the two stars. Even in the interview, she noted that the tension was good for their work on-screen.
Sharon Stone was embarrassed because of the n*dity in the movie
The actress was required to do several n*de scenes in Basic Instinct. One particular scene that embarrassed her was the leg-crossing scene, in which Stone was not wearing underwear. She recalled on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight,
“I think more I was just so shocked and I was embarrassed not to be able to process it alone with him than I was so horrified. After a week of considering to stop the release of the movie, I decided it fit the character in the film and it should stay in.”
She was told by the director that a shadow would cover her private areas, but that didn’t happen and despite that, the scene was included in the movie.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
