Sharon Stone rose to prominence as the face of female antagonists in Hollywood with her role as Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct. Before gaining fame from the film, Stone had undertaken 17 roles in the industry that largely went unnoticed. While the roles that came after weren’t that bad, there were instances when she had to say an absolute ‘no’. The actress recently talked about an incident where a director disrespected her mother for refusing to film a scene.
She revealed the unfortunate incident in her memoir where she covers in detail the aftermath of her Basic Instinct fame. The movie featured Stone and Michael Douglas in the lead roles and received mixed reviews with widespread criticism for its s*xually explicit content. However, it went on to collect $352.9 million, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of 1992.
Sharon Stone Hoped To See Her Movie Fail After The Director Disrespected Her
In her memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, Sharon Stone shared her struggles in the industry, both before and after Basic Instinct. While recounting various stories from the film, Stone highlighted her close friendship with Michael Douglas. She further praised Douglas’s ability to maintain respectful behavior toward his co-stars.
However, not all men treated her like the Ant-Man actor, as she revealed an incident where a director once disrespected her and her mother. Stone’s horrible experience occurred in a movie set in Italy where she refused to follow the director’s instructions to do something that made her uncomfortable.
According to an excerpt from her memoir (via Vanity Fair), she tried to reason with the director, stating, “Women don’t act like this anymore.” When asked why by the director, the Casino actress answered, “We respect ourselves.” The director’s response was deeply hurtful and insulting, as he stated, “Next time get a mother who loves you.” Stone wasn’t shocked by the comment, but she didn’t want to work for the director anymore.
While she didn’t quit the film, she hoped the film would turn into a disaster. Stone added in her memoir, “You can’t shame me. And you will not, should not, even consider shaming my mother.” While The Mighty actress was convinced at the time that her mother didn’t love her, she also knew it was men like the director or those from his generation who shaped her mother’s attitude.
Also Read: Sharon Stone’s 1 Generous Act Launched Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe in Hollywood
Sharon Stone Struggled With The Decision To Allow Her V*gina Shot In Basic Instinct
Sharon Stone’s issue with men like the mentioned director didn’t begin at that movie set. The first time Stone saw her v*gina shot in Basic Instinct was with a group of male agents and lawyers. After the embarrassing screening, Stone allegedly slapped director Paul Verhoeven across the face and left. The Lovelace actress had the option to obtain an injunction against the scene, according to her lawyer Marty Singer.
However, she had several considerations to weigh before making a final decision. The Laundromat actress revealed that she had suffered a lot during the production of the film. She went to extreme lengths to grab the role, with Verhoeven also fighting for her casting. The production took a toll on her mental state, as she confessed to sleepwalking several times during production. Her hideous nightmares didn’t stop even after completing the film.
When she revealed to Verhoeven that she had options to remove the scene, he responded negatively, denying her choices. However, Stone eventually chose to keep the scene in the film, only because it fit the film and her character. Stone’s iconic performance in Basic Instinct can be now enjoyed by streaming the film on Paramount+.
