It is impossible to dispute Martin Scorsese’s immense influence on the cinema industry. Today, the world recognizes him as one of the most prominent filmmakers in the history of filmmaking. His reputation as a skilled storyteller with a flair for the gritty transcends Hollywood and has captivated international audiences. Most of his endeavors are deemed masterpieces, with a keenness to underscore the underbelly of society.
But regardless of who you are, criticism is bound to come your way. Numerous critics, journalists, and even some of Scorsese’s audience have expressed dissatisfaction with one aspect (or the lack thereof) in his filmography. And now, an actress who worked with him in the past has echoed a similar sentiment—to see more women in the leading roles of his films.
The actress is none other than Casino star Sharon Stone.
Sharon Stone’s Comment On Martin Scorsese’s Short Film The Audition (2015)
Sharon Stone and Martin Scorsese collaborated on the pseudo-documentary Rolling Thunder Revue besides the Robert De Niro starrer Casino. The well-known ’90s actress has frequently expressed her appreciation for the filmmaker. Even so, she believes more female-driven stories should be included in the legendary director’s filmography.
On Instagram reels, an account posted a snippet from the Martin Scorsese-helmed 2015 short film The Audition starring Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Brad Pitt. Created to promote a Macau casino resort, the short’s premise revolved around DiCaprio and De Niro vying for the same role in Scorsese’s next film.
Sharon Stone commented the following in the section below the Instagram reel that Outstanding Screenplays shared:
“Maybe it (the hypothetical film) requires a woman.”
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This isn’t the only time the Basic Instinct star has alluded to wanting more women to star in Martin Scorsese films. When Kelly Ripa, the host of the podcast Let’s Talk Off Camera, highlighted her desire to see the actress in another Scorsese film, Stone made the following statement:
“I hound Marty… a lot. I always have projects I want to pitch him. […] I love Marty so much. But, Marty’s world is a very male-driven world, and I don’t think that the man in his world appreciate [sic] a woman coming in and dominating the world. They prefer women to come in and support their world.”
Martin Scorsese was held accountable for this qualm many have about his films. The filmmaker’s response to this aimed at setting the record straight.
Martin Scorsese Questioned The Validity Of This Complaint
One of the gags viewers see in The Audition makes it a point to highlight Martin Scorsese‘s inclination towards casting Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in the leading roles of his films. While the former has done six films with the helmer, the latter has done ten. In the context of the short film, Stone’s opinion that the filmmaker should cast a woman instead highlights a critique that Scorsese has previously faced.
A member of the Italian press questioned Scorsese on why the leading characters of his films are primarily men and why there’s little interest in telling stories about women at his press conference (for the Irishman) at the 2019 Rome Film Fest (via THR). Denying the validity of such claims, the filmmaker said:
“No. That’s not even a valid point. That’s not valid. I can’t … That goes back to 1970. That’s a question that I’ve had for so many years. Am I supposed to? If the story doesn’t call for it … it’s a waste of everybody’s time. If the story calls for a female character lead, why not?”
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With his subsequent remarks, Scorsese suggested that while making such a criticism, people overlook films like Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) and Age of Innocence (1993). Those films star actresses in leading roles. The director even mentioned Sharon Stone‘s impeccable role in Casino.
The filmmaker concluded that while he would like to work on more female-driven stories, he doesn’t know if time would permit it. “We don’t know. I don’t have time anymore,” said Scorsese.
This topic is still igniting discussions on the Internet. Numerous people have voiced their support for both arguments. Nonetheless, it’d be intriguing to see Scorsese tackle authentic stories that can encourage the need for women in leading roles.
