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Sharon Stone wasn’t always the Hollywood icon we know today. Before she became a household name, the actress struggled with her career in low-budget films and TV shows that didn’t make much of an impact. EnterTotal Recall, the 1990 movie opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger that changed her luck. But even then her true stardom still seemed out of reach.
That’s whenBasic Instinctpopped up, wherein her role as Catherine Tramell turned her into an international sensation overnight. But here’s the twist—that career-defining part almost wasn’t hers, because Hollywood’s biggest actresses including Kim Basinger and Meg Ryan had first dibs. However, after they all turned down the offer, it became Sharon Stone’s golden ticket.
Sharon Stone had almost lostBasic Instinctto Kim Basinger and Meg Ryan
While the world popularly known Sharon Stone for her role as Catherine Tramell in the 1992 erotic thrillerBasic Instinct, the role wasn’t initially her’s to claim. According toEsquire, when director Paul Verhoeven was looking for actresses to play the lethally seductive mystery writer, he initially went for stars likeKim Basinger, Meg Ryan, and Michelle Pfeiffer to don the role.
Sharon Stone Revealed the Marvel Actress Basic Instinct Desperately Wanted Instead of Her: ‘I was the 13th woman that they offered’
Considering how Kim Basinger was known forBatman, andMeg Ryanhad become America’s sweetheart withrom-com hitslikeWhen Harry Met Sally,the studio naturally approached these big stars. However, all of the actresses turned down the offer for their respective reasons. That’s when Sharon Stone, who was yet to be a household name, entered the picture.
Having previously worked with Paul Verhoeven in his 1990 movieTotal Recall, where she played Arnold Schwarzenegger’s duplicitous wife, Sharon Stone became the final actress to get reached out by the studio. And unlike the others, Stone didn’t make the mistake of rejecting the offer, becauseBasic Instinctseemed like the last resort for the actress.
Basic Instinctwas Sharon Stone’s last chance after a handful of crap movies
For Sharon Stone,Basic Instinctwas a golden opportunity. Before appearing in the 1992 movie Stone noted in her memoirThe Beauty of Living Twice(viaVanity Fair) about struggling to find her place in Hollywood. Appearing in several low-budget films and forgettable TV shows, the actress was failing to find the breakthrough she needed. And the entertainment industry has never been kind to women aging out of their 20s.
Without Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone May Have Never Taken a Vow That Landed Her Basic Instinct: ‘I’m not gonna work until I get a job I care about’
So by the time she finally got the part of Catherine Tramell,Sharon Stonewas already way past her 30s worrying about running out of time to land her breakthrough role. Therefore the actress never dared to reject the offer—instead, with gratitude for Kim Basinger, Meg Ryan, and other stars, Stone embraced the role of Catherine Tramell, which eventually made her a global superstar overnight.
Basic Instinct was my 18th movie. For years, I had been getting pummeled doing a bunch of crap movies and so-so television, back in the day when TV wasn’t king. I was 32 years old when I got that job.
I told my agent that if they got me in that door, I would get the job. I knew this was the last chance—I was aging out of the business I hadn’t really gotten into yet. I needed a break.
Therefore, while appearing in Paul Verhoeven’sTotal Recallsorta earned her the opportunity forBasic Instinct, it was her role as Catherine Tramell that changed everything. Appearing alongside Michael Douglas, Stone’s fearless and riveting performance not only left everyone talking but also helped the actress leave behind her struggling days. So it seems thatBasic Instinctwasn’t just another job for Stone—it was her last resort, and she made the most of it.
Basic Instinctis currently available to watch on Prime Video.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3217
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
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Kim BasingerMeg RyanSharon Stone
