Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas, before they became an unforgettable on-screen duo in Basic Instinct, had a fiery first encounter that almost killed their working relationship, according to Stone herself.
In a recent interview with Business Insider, the actress opened up about the dramatic introduction she had with Douglas years before they co-starred in the 1992 thriller.
Stone claims the two first met at the Cannes Film Festival, and things escalated quickly after Douglas made a comment about someone she cared deeply for.
“A bunch of us were all sitting, and he was talking about someone and their kids,” she recalled.
“I really, really knew this person he was talking about. So I said something and he responded to me, saying, ‘What the f–k do you know?’ It was in regard to a father-child relationship.”
The confrontation didn’t end there. Stone said Douglas shouted at her in front of the entire group.
“I’m not the person who goes, ‘Oh, excuse me, superstar,’” she explained. “I pushed back my chair and said to him, ‘Let’s step outside.’ That’s how we first met.”
According to Stone, the two did step outside, where she explained that she was best friends with the family he had been discussing.
Although they parted on good terms after that conversation, the tension lingered. “So, fast forward to casting Basic Instinct, I don’t think he wanted me to be his co-star,” Stone said.
Despite the rocky start, Stone believes the early friction actually worked in their favour on set.
“I was not rattled if he yelled at me,” she said. “That was interesting for the character because Michael has a temper, and I didn’t care. That worked very well in our dynamic.”
Eventually, their working relationship blossomed into a lasting friendship. “We became the greatest of friends, to this day. I admire him tremendously,” she shared.
However, Douglas’ version of events differs.
A representative for the actor told Page Six that he has no memory of meeting Stone before her screen test for Basic Instinct.
“Michael Douglas doesn’t recall meeting or knowing of Sharon Stone until seeing [director] Paul Verhoeven’s test of her for Basic Instinct,” the rep stated.
“When he saw the test he said she was the right actress for the part. He remembers they were in Cannes together to promote the film which was screened at the festival.”
Despite differing memories, both actors went on to create one of the most iconic screen pairings of the early ’90s, born out of tension but remembered for powerful chemistry.