Sharon Stone reveals her fresh perspective on the iconic 'Basic Instinct' moment that catapulted her to fame
In the early days of filming "Basic Instinct," tension between the lead actors, Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas, was palpable. According to Stone, this animosity stemmed from a heated argument they had at the Cannes Film Festival before they began working together [2].
During an interview with Business Insider, Stone recounted that Douglas made disparaging remarks about someone she knew and their children. When she defended them, Douglas reportedly yelled, “What the fuck do you know?” and challenged her to “step outside,” leading to a confrontation that she says ended amicably but not as friends [2].
This conflict, Stone believes, contributed to Douglas’s initial reluctance to test with or accept her as his costar [2][1]. However, Douglas’s representative has disputed these claims, stating that Douglas was "very surprised" by Stone’s accounts and remembers first seeing Stone in the film’s screen test, after which he supported casting her [3][1][5].
Despite the initial friction, Stone’s bold and provocative performance in the film, particularly the iconic leg-crossing scene, helped establish her as a formidable actress. In her memoir "The Beauty of Living Twice," Stone went into more detail about the leg-crossing scene, which was initially a source of concern due to union rules [6].
However, Stone decided to let the scene stay in the film, believing it was correct for the character and the film [3]. Stone later told Business Insider that the leg-crossing scene made her an icon but didn’t bring her respect [7].
Despite their rocky start, Douglas and Stone later became friends after working together on "Basic Instinct." The tension between them, Stone claimed, helped their onscreen chemistry, making their dynamic all the more intriguing for viewers [3].
Years later, both actors walked the red carpet together at the Golden Globe Awards, putting their past differences aside [8]. Their journey from heated argument to close friends serves as a testament to the power of art and the resilience of human relationships.
References:
- Business Insider
- The Hollywood Reporter
- Variety
- The Guardian
- CNN
- The New York Times
- Business Insider
- ET Canada
The entertainment industry, particularly movies and TV, often sees celebrities involved in high-profile disputes, as exemplified by Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas's argument at the Cannes Film Festival that influenced their working relationship on "Basic Instinct." Their initial animosity led to a memorable onscreen chemistry that added to the intrigue of the film for viewers, and years later, they walked the red carpet together at the Golden Globe Awards, demonstrating the resilience of human relationships in the face of challenges.
