Sharon Stone is revisiting her thoughts on the notorious leg-crossing scene that sparked much debate.
The renowned actress, now 67, played the role of crime novelist Catherine Tramell in the thriller Basic Instinct.
The 1992 movie centers on detective Nick Curran (played by Michael Douglas, who Stone notes received $13 million more than her for his role) as he investigates a violent murder. The primary suspect is Catherine, the deceased’s lover.
During one particular scene, Stone crosses her legs while being interrogated by the detective, revealing she is not wearing any underwear.
Stone mentions she does not regret this scene and shared in a recent interview that she had the legal option to remove it from the film but decided against doing so.
“I very much believe that none of us knew at the time what we were getting in regard to that shot, and when Paul [Verhoeven] got it, he didn’t want to lose it, and he was scared to show me. And I get that,” she told Business Insider.
“Once I had time to calm down, I didn’t make him take it out of the movie when I had the legal right to.
“So I did have the chance to do it differently, and I didn’t because once I had the chance to step back, I understood, as the director, not the girl in the film, that that made the movie better.”
More than thirty years later, both the film and that specific scene continue to be a subject of controversy and discussion. It remains among the more provocative scenes in mainstream cinema.
Stone has previously stated that she was not fully informed about the extent to which the interrogation scene would be revealing, noting she was unaware her genitalia would be visible until viewing the completed film.
In her 2021 memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, she recounted: “After we shot Basic Instinct, I got called in to see it. Not on my own with the director, as one would anticipate, given the situation that has given us all pause, so to speak, but with a room full of agents and lawyers, most of whom had nothing to do with the project.
“That was how I saw my vagina-shot for the first time, long after I’d been told, ‘We can’t see anything—I just need you to remove your panties, as the white is reflecting the light, so we know you have panties on.’
“Yes, there have been many points of view on this topic, but since I’m the one with the vagina in question, let me say: the other points of view are bulls**t.
Ultimately, Stone allowed the scene to stay in the film. This decision ignited conversations on issues of consent, exploitation, and cinematic ethics.
In 2023, she mentioned losing custody of her son due to her role in Basic Instinct, yet in her recent interview, she expresses no lingering bitterness.
“It made me an icon, but it didn’t bring me respect. But would I do it again? We don’t get to make these choices in life. I don’t participate in the fantasy world in this way.
“What I did with what happened is exactly the way I wanted to do it. [Director Paul] Verhoeven and I have a wonderful relationship.”