Sharon Stone is vocal about what she sees as a shift in the way gender is portrayed on screen.
The “Basic Instinct” icon said today’s on-screen intimacy has lost the very thing that once made it so powerful — mystery.
In a sit-down interview, Stone reflected on a tragic incident that helped define his career.
“Sharon, when you look at your famous career, what do you think about it – I remember when ‘Basic Instinct’ came out? You were crossing your legs, crossing your legs,” said anchor Gayle King. “And I remember – ‘Are you wearing panties?’ – that’s how crazy it all was, wasn’t it?”
“That’s right. It was the third part of the frame,” Stone replied. “It wasn’t even the whole movie.”
“And, therefore, people were desperately trying to find it,” he continued. “And I think that idea of ’oh my god,’ this hope, this wonder, this mystery, this challenge, this longing is what our whole deep sexuality is based on.
“A lot of times now, when sex scenes come on TV – I go ahead,” she said. “I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to go through all this in an open, rough sex. For me, it steals from my thoughts. And I prefer my longing, the mystery, the desire. I want to keep that alive inside me.”
The actor also recognized the lasting impact of his team role and the complex legacy that followed.
“But that changed the course of your career, it seems,” King commented.
“Oh my God, everything changed,” Stone replied.
When asked how he feels about it today, Stone did not comment on the personal cost.
“In many ways, I feel insecure and neglected, and, in many ways, I feel punished by the behavior of others,” she said.
“You know, I lost custody of my child … My child was taken into custody and asked if his mother was making sex films. I mean, things that were inappropriate in a weird way,” Stone explained. “People treat me in ways … very cruel and unkind, as if I were some kind of vulgar, vulgar person.”
“Since you were wearing a red A on your head,” added the King.
“Yeah, I mean, you know, I played a character — 30 years ago. Like, grow up,” Stone said.
Stone’s words echo the frustration he expressed earlier this year, when he focused on what he described as Hollywood’s doubling down on nudity.
In an Instagram video posted in February, the 68-year-old actor lashed out at what he saw as hypocrisy after a film crew asked him to remove a painting of a naked woman from his eyes while filming in his apartment.
“Should we be afraid when we look in the mirror?” he asked in part. “Should it be a secret when we pee and pee and brush our teeth? Oh, you have to look over there and go, ‘Oh, why should we be afraid of ourselves?’
In the caption accompanying the video, Stone expanded on her thoughts, saying that society remains uncomfortable with the human body while being tolerant of other types of content.
“Why in 2026 are we still afraid to grow old and live on our own? We are more than looks. We are musicians, mothers, sisters, wives, nurses, teachers … and the list goes on!” he wrote.
“I was very upset about this when I visited my studio a few weeks ago. A film crew had asked to remove a painting, the ‘goddess,’ which happens to be a naked woman. We fear nudity on our screens, on our bodies, in our homes… but not violence or everything else we are bombarded with every day?
“Get the truth!”
Stone continued to embrace her iconic roles throughout her illustrious Hollywood career.
In 2024, she paid tribute to her “Basic Instinct” character, Catherine Tramell, by retweeting the film’s signature leg break in a bold Instagram post.
Dressed in red lace lingerie and sitting on a white and gold chair, Stone paired the look with blue heels and a pearl necklace, giving a modern twist to the scene that once sparked global debate.
The legendary actress rose to fame in the 1990s with major roles in “Basic Instinct” and “Casino.”
