Sharon Stone
After more than a decade in modeling and supporting film roles, Stone was cast as the manipulative novelist Catherine Tramell in Paul Verhoeven's erotic thriller 'Basic Instinct' (1992). The star-making performance turned her into an international sex symbol almost overnight and established her as a leading lady.
Pennsylvania to the Runway
Born in small-town Meadville, Pennsylvania, the strikingly intelligent Stone began as a model before moving into acting. She spent the 1980s in supporting roles, waiting for the part that would prove her range.
The Defining Role
'Total Recall' put her on the map, but 'Basic Instinct' made her a phenomenon. She silenced critics who saw only a sex symbol with her ferocious, Oscar-nominated work in Martin Scorsese's 'Casino.'
A Second Life
A near-fatal 2001 brain hemorrhage forced Stone to relearn basic skills and reshaped her priorities. She has since become a prominent activist, author of the memoir 'The Beauty of Living Twice,' and an exhibited painter.
Career Timeline
- 1958Born in Meadville, Pennsylvania
- 1980Film debut in Woody Allen's 'Stardust Memories'
- 1990Breakthrough role in 'Total Recall'
- 1992Stars in 'Basic Instinct,' becoming a global star
- 1995Acclaimed turn in Scorsese's 'Casino'
- 1996Wins Golden Globe for 'Casino'
- 2001Survives a near-fatal brain hemorrhage
- 2004Plays villain in 'Catwoman'
- 2021Publishes memoir 'The Beauty of Living Twice'
- 2024Continues acting and fine-art painting career
Biggest Hits
- Stone has a reported IQ of around 154 and was admitted to college early at age 15.
- In 2001 she survived a massive brain hemorrhage that doctors said gave her only a small chance of recovery.
Portrait: Gage Skidmore · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons