Hollywood Icon Sharon Stone Reveals Ongoing Battles with Industry Sexism and Medical Trauma
Sharon Stone, the celebrated actress known for roles in films like Basic Instinct and Casino, continues to speak candidly about the challenges she’s faced throughout her career and personal life. In a recent interview, Stone detailed instances of sexism, unwanted medical procedures, and her current outlook on life and work.
The interview, conducted by a journalist for The Guardian, highlighted Stone’s frustration with societal expectations placed on women. she pointed out the difficulty in accepting a woman as possessing multiple positive attributes together – beauty,intelligence,kindness,humor,motherhood,and professional success. This sentiment reflects a broader cultural conversation about the double standards women face in the entertainment industry and beyond.
Stone recounted a disturbing incident involving producer Robert Evans during the making of 1992’s Sliver. Evans allegedly suggested she engage in a sexual encounter with co-star William Baldwin to improve his performance and, by extension, the film’s success. Stone firmly rejected this proposition. She also revisited the traumatic experience of undergoing breast reconstruction after the removal of benign tumors in 2017 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. According to Stone’s memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, the surgeon, Dr.Steven Hoefflin,performed a nonconsensual breast enlargement,believing she would be pleased with a larger size.This incident led to a lawsuit, settled in 2021, and sparked further discussion about patient autonomy and informed consent.
The discussion also touched upon the potential reboot of Basic Instinct, announced by Amazon MGM Studios and United Artists on July 26, 2024. Stone expressed skepticism, famously quipping that writer Joe Eszterhas “couldn’t write himself out of a Walgreens drug store.”
Despite past hardships, including a severe stroke in 2001 that nearly ended her career, Stone remains optimistic. She spoke about adjusting to life with her sons now attending college and her renewed focus on work. She is currently involved in the new season of the HBO series Euphoria, filming in Los angeles, and has completed a film titled In Memoriam, details of which remain largely undisclosed.
Stone described her outlook as inherently positive, even viewing setbacks as opportunities for growth. “Sometimes an empty glass is what you need,” she stated, suggesting that challenges can create space for new beginnings.
