Sharon Stone is undeniably a legend. Aside from her iconic Oscar-nominated performance in Casino, the star has time and time again proven herself to be one of the most authentic voices in Hollywood.
And she has sure stayed true to this reputation with some of her latest remarks, when she declared that there were just 2 of her co-stars who weren’t “misogynistic”.
Stone recently sat down with Variety to discuss her latest appearance alongside Sam Smith on Saturday Night Live, but also diverged into revealing some of her thoughts on past projects, and, in particular, the men who she has worked with.
“I’ve worked with some of the biggest stars in the business, who will literally talk through my close-up, telling me what they think I should do,” she shared.
“They’re so misogynistic – now, that is not Robert De Niro. That is not Joe Pesci, that is not those guys. But I have worked with some really big stars who will literally talk out loud through my close-up, telling me what to do.”
She continued: “They just will not listen to me, and will not allow me to affect their performance with my performance. That’s not great acting.
“I mean, I get that you’re great and everybody thinks you’re wonderful. But listening, being present for those fractured moments, is really the human experience.”
However, it’s not just Pesci and De Niro who have been on Stone’s radar recently.
In a different interview, she opened up about the sizzling tension in Basic Instinct between her and Michael Douglas. And, well, it wasn’t just an example of their highly skilled acting prowess.
In fact, the tension and chemistry between the pair were all too real…
In the movie, Stone’s character Catherine is under investigation for the murder of her boyfriend. The chief detective, Nick Curran, is played by Michael Douglas. But as Nick investigates Catherine, he can’t help but find himself attracted to her, in spite of her dangerous exterior. We all remember that iconic (and much-parodied) interview scene, in which Catherine uses her … ahem … feminine wiles to distract the authorities and put them off the scent.
Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas’s careful balance between s*xual tension and fear is the heart of this classic movie. And since the pair have to be at odds throughout the film, it makes sense that they kept this tension up while off-camera, too.
But it seems this discomfort and awkwardness was actually a deliberate choice by both actors.
“I had met him on 2 or 3 occasions in social situations before I tested with him for this movie,” Stone admitted, as per Unilad.
“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, “Stone continued.
“It was a primal thing for me. It was all about watching him, observing his movements, provoking him.”
Stone explains keeping things uncomfortable between the 2 was the reason that their “energy together was strong.” And it seems that she was happy with their decision to keep tensions high, because she believes it “works very well” on screen.
Have you ever watched Basic Instinct? And do you agree that the tension between the pair is what makes the movie such a classic?
