Portraying a provocative serial killer in Paul Verhoeven’s Basic Instinct did wonders for Sharon Stone’s career. Before the iconic film, Stone had almost exclusively landed roles in out-of-the-way films that never attained critical acclaim.
The 64-year-old’s decade-long tenure in obscurity ended almost as soon as she transformed into the amorous Catherine Tramell.
Following her Basic Instinct fame, Stone became one of the most recognizable movie stars of the 1990s and instantly attained sex symbol status. Stone even went on to earn a spot among Martin Scorsese’s leading ladies, alongside Hollywood legends like Jodie Foster and Jessica Lange.
Astoundingly, despite her pivotal role in Basic Instinct, Stone only received $500,000 as compensation, and, consequently, had to insist on keeping her expensive costumes.
Sharon Stone Was Grossly Underpaid For Basic Instinct
Sharon Stone had been acting for over a decade before landing a role in the 1992 erotic thriller, Basic Instinct. However, the then 32-year-old actress had never starred in a major production, and was positively delighted that she’d been cast in the film
“For the longest time, I was certain they were going to recast me with someone else,” Stone wrote in her memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, “because how could I possibly star opposite Michael Douglas? I thought maybe I was just a placeholder. But during those first few wardrobe fittings, it really started to sink in. I couldn't believe how exciting it was and all of the incredible costumes that were being made just for me."
However, Stone’s obvious glee had little to do with her compensation. Shockingly, the prolific actress only received $500,000 for the film, which, while not diminutive, paled in comparison to Michael Douglas’ $14 million. To bridge the pay gap, the actress insisted on keeping all her costumes.
“I put in my contract that I could keep the clothes,” her memoir reads. “People thought I was crazy, but the truth is I wasn't getting paid much compared to my male co-star. I made $500,000; Michael made $14 million. So keeping my costumes was a really smart thing to do.”
Sharon Stone Got To Pick Some Of Her Basic Instinct Costumes
Sharon Stone was also allowed to pick some of Catherine Tramell’s iconic outfits, an activity she took tremendous pleasure in.
“The costume designer, Ellen Mirojnick, took me to Rodeo Drive and said, ‘You can pick out any one thing that you want for your character,’" Stone disclosed in her memoir.
“At this point in my life, the idea that I could go into one of those high-end stores where a purse costs $20,000 and not feel like an impostor was beyond my comprehension. So, to actually get to go into Hermès and buy a cream cashmere throw was a wow moment.”
Incidentally, Stone elected to wear one of the outfits, a white dress, while filming the interrogation scene. Owing to this choice, the white dress became a pop culture phenomenon, and would likely retail at a price well beyond its 1992 market value.
Sharon Stone Got To Keep All Her Basic Instinct Costumes
Sharon Stone held on to her ridiculously expensive costumes long after Basic Instinct wrapped. While the star eventually donated most of her collection to charity, there was one piece she could not bring herself to let go of; the iconic white dress.
“I still have almost all of the wardrobe too. I've given some pieces away to charity, but so far, I've kept the white dress and coat,” she wrote in her memoir. “It was zipped up in a garment bag on the set, and it has never been opened since. I broke the zipper, so it's hermetically sealed like a piece of art or a very cool time capsule.”
In her memoir, Stone discloses that the dress serves as a memento of her time as Catherine Tramell, reminding her of all the lessons that came from taking part in Basic Instinct.
“Over the years, I've gone through many phases of how I feel about what happened when I was wearing that dress,” her memoir reads, “but it's all very resolved for me at this point. When I look at it now, I can't help but think about how much I learned in the process of making the film.”
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