Sharon Stone on Thriving for 46 Years in Hollywood and Why ‘My Lane Was Never Going to Be Sex Psychos’

Sharon Stone on Thriving for 46 Years in Hollywood and Why ‘My Lane Was Never Going to Be Sex Psychos’

Academy Award-nominated actress Sharon Stone is fighting back against the typecasting she received following her breakthrough role in “Basic Instinct” — with a look back at her 46 years in Hollywood. The 68-year-old star said in a new cover story for Variety’s Power of Women issue that her career path was never meant to be defined by “sex psychos,” noting her resilience and continued advocacy for women in the entertainment industry.

“Basic Instinct’ was a big hit, but it was never my plan to become a ‘sex psycho’ in my career,” Stone said of her 46-year Hollywood career in a September 2026 interview with Variety. Stone cited her recent work, including Season 3 of “Euphoria,” and stressed the importance of women getting good deals in their contracts, something she learned from the late Carrie Fisher.

Stone’s career skyrocketed to international stardom when she played Catherine Tramell in Paul Verhoeven’s 1992 thriller “Basic Instinct.” But the actress observed that the film’s strong public reaction left a lasting, often intimidating impression.

Yes.” And what they would do is they would show the film to the press, and then they would bring them in to interview me,” Stone told Variety, referring to the post-“Basic Instinct” press tours. They would sit across from me, panic, and be scared. “That has not changed. People are still scared of me in one way or another.”

Stone said this perception is a world away from her real personality. “I think that the basic construct of a woman declaring herself as separate and indomitable was, and is, a terrifying construct,” she said. She said she was a “fragile, physically little, delicate, shy, private, loner, gentle, very empathetic artist,” and added, “Not at all like that character, nothing to do with that character.”

When asked about her favorite genre, Stone cited her early work in comedy. Because I was in Irreconcilable Differences — that was my thing, right? “She was never going to be sex psychos in my lane,” she said.

The interview also delved into the major personal and professional challenges that Stone has had to overcome. In 2001, she had a vertebral artery rupture, a nine-day bleed in the brain, and a stroke, and took seven years to recover. “I lost my place in the business, and had to start from the bottom all over again,” Stone said. During that time, she lost custody of her adopted son for a period, od and her standing in the business suffered.

Despite this setback, Stone has remained prolific, appearing in more than 40 films, including Martin Scorsese’s 1995 “Casino,” for which she earned a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination. She recently starred opposite Sydney Sweeney as a Hollywood executive in Season 3 of HBO’s “Euphoria.”

Stone also spoke to the systemic pay and opportunity gaps facing women in Hollywood. Asked if she always wanted to act, she said, “No. I wanted to be a director. But I do have that pesky vagina issue that got in the way of being allowed to have jobs or be paid fairly for them or be considered to have an intelligent point of view.

Much of Stone’s interview was about the practical steps women have to take to protect themselves in Hollywood. The publication reports that she learned how to negotiate for ownership of her on-screen costumes from the late actress and writer Carrie Fisher.

“I put my costumes in my contract in the ‘80s, and everyone laughed at me,” Stone said. She remembered a time early in her career when she had to sell her underwear and bras on a folding table outside a studio. “I just went to my manager and I was like, ‘Chuck, I want my costumes in my contract.”…I just do not want them auctioning off my underwear anymore.

Stone said Fisher helped her learn to draft the contractual protections, saying, “Carrie Fisher taught me how to write my contract, thank God, a hundred years ago… And that is the power of women, right there, ladies. Read your contract because the agents at your agency work for the studios, not for you.

Stone’s honest confession reveals continuing problems in the entertainment industry: the lasting effects of being typecast, the physical and career dangers women face, and the importance of speaking out for yourself in contract negotiations. Stone candidly discusses her approach to working in a male-dominated industry and offers a roadmap for younger performers. Her choice to highlight the ACLU for Variety’s Power of Women initiative further cements her commitment to leveraging her platform for broader civil liberties advocacy.

Three Stone films remain unreleased, including “In Memoriam,” which screened at the Tribeca Festival in June 2026. She will continue her humanitarian work and is now with the American Civil Liberties Union. Stone said she has not announced any future directing projects because she doesn’t want to deal with the “bullshit” required to get directing jobs in today’s industry environment.

What did Sharon Stone mean when she said: “my lane was never going to be sex psychos”?
Stone was talking about her 1992 role in “Basic Instinct.” She said she doesn’t see her true strengths in being cast as a scary femme fatale, but in comedy and dramatic roles such as her early work in “Irreconcilable Differences,” despite the film’s massive success.

What has Sharon Stone been up to recently?
Stone recently had a recurring role as a Hollywood executive on Season 3 of HBO’s “Euphoria.” She has three completed films including “In Memoriam” which premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Festival.

Why did Sharon Stone choose the ACLU for her Power of Women charity?
“My international humanitarian work is focused on the most pressing needs of the moment,” Stone said. American civil liberties are “up for grabs” right now, she said, and the ACLU’s mission to defend free speech, voting rights, and freedom from government abuse is an important focus.