Why Do People Love Sharon Stone?
Over the past few decades, Sharon Stone has become one of Hollywood’s most renowned actresses. Ever since her breakthrough role in 1992’s “Basic Instinct,” Sharon has captivated audiences with her beauty, talent, intelligence and mystique. But what is it exactly that makes Sharon such a beloved and enduring star?
Captivating Beauty and Glamour
One of the most obvious reasons people love Sharon is her breathtaking beauty. With her piercing green eyes, glowing skin and signature blond hair, Sharon possesses an elegant glamour and sensuality that leaps off the screen. Even now, at 65 years old, she continues to stun on red carpets and photo shoots with her timeless beauty.
Table 1 shows some of the awards and accolades Sharon has received specifically for her beauty and style over the years.
| Year | Award/List | Publication |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Ranked #6 on Empire Magazine’s 100 Sexiest Stars in Film History list | Empire Magazine |
| 1999 | #43 on FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World | FHM |
| 2000 | Voted one of People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People | People Magazine |
Clearly, Sharon’s physical beauty has been a central part of her widespread appeal and fame over the years. But beyond just her looks, Sharon also brings a sense of confidence, glamour and passion to every role she plays. She has an allure and charisma that leaps off the screen.
Impressive Acting Range
While many were first exposed to Sharon through her sexy breakout role in “Basic Instinct,” what has allowed her to sustain such longevity in Hollywood has been her versatility and range as an actress.
She has convincingly played everything from a frontier widow in “The Quick and the Dead” to a trauma surgeon on TV’s “The New Pope” to one of the most iconic comic book villains ever as Catwoman in “Batman Returns.”
Some of the critical acclaim and acting awards Sharon has received over the years includes:
- 1995 Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Dramatic Motion Picture for “Casino”
- 2005 Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for “The Practice”
- 2006 Golden Globe Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for “If These Walls Could Talk 2”
- 2020 Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for “The New Pope”
Clearly, Sharon is much more than just a pretty face – she is a talented, versatile actress capable of disappearing into vastly different characters across both film and television. Audiences love that they never quite know what side of Sharon they might see when she appears in a new project. She keeps fans guessing and surprising them with each dramatic transformation.
Comedic Skills
In addition to her more serious, dramatic roles, Sharon has repeatedly proven her talent for comedy as well. She’s shown a real knack for sarcasm, wit and physical humor in films like “Casino,” “Basic Instinct,” “Sliver,” “The Muse” and “The Disaster Artist.”
In particular, Sharon’s scene-stealing appearances in 2017’s “The Disaster Artist” and 2019’s “Zoolander 2” displayed fantastic comedic timing and self-deprecation that made her absolutely hilarious and endearing. Fans get to laugh with Sharon as she pokes fun at her own Hollywood persona and legacy.
Intelligence, Activism and Outspokenness
Another reason why Sharon Stone has remained so relevant over decades in the spotlight is that she’s never been afraid to be outspoken on important issues that impact women’s lives. She uses her platform to raise awareness on topics like AIDS research, disaster relief and equal rights.
Some examples of Sharon’s off-screen advocacy and intelligence shining through include:
- In 1995, years before most celebrities were speaking out about it, she began actively campaigning to raise money and awareness for AIDS research. She would eventually be honored with the Nobel Peace Summit Award for her efforts.
- At the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, Sharon made an impassioned speech about the need for more female directors andstopping ageism in Hollywood. She would speak more on this topic over the years, calling for older actresses to keep fightingfor juicier roles in their 40s, 50s and beyond.
- In 2005, Sharon very publicly resigned from the Creative Arts Agency because they had such huge pay gaps between what they were paying their male actors verses female actresses. Her willingness to walk away from her agents due to this sexist pay gap sent ripples through Hollywood.
- After witnessing the horrors left behind in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Sharon funded massive disaster relief campaigns to get food, shelter and medicine to survivors in the region. She would also later travel to sites of other natural disasters like the Italian earthquakes and Hurricane Harvey fundraisers to mobilize more support.
- Never one to shy away from controversy, Sharon has also been very outspoken in her critiques of President Donald Trump – making headlines multiple times for calling him out publicly in interviews and on her own social media platforms. She used her platform among Hollywood elites to speak out.
Sharon’s willingness to speak her mind and stand up for causes she believes in – whether its equal pay or civil rights or natural disaster relief – has earned her tremendous respect. At a time when many celebrities shill products on Instagram or shy away from politics, Sharon remains a thoughtful activist.
Resilience and Comebacks
Any star that can remain an A-list, working actress in Hollywood from 1992 to today has shown tremendous resilience and multiple career comebacks. Sharon Stone is the ultimate case study for perseverance, re-invention and determination.
When Sharon first garnered worldwide fame from the smash hit “Basic Instinct,” she capitalized on that momentum to book roles in follow up erotic thrillers like “Sliver,” “Intersection,” “The Specialist” and “Sphere” throughout the 90s. For awhile, she was one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood, earning a record-setting $13 million paycheck for “The Quick and the Dead.”
However, the early 2000s brought some career setbacks for Sharon. After winning a Golden Globe for Martin Scorsese’s “Casino” in 1995, Sharon suffered a stroke in 2001 that she had to undergo years of painful rehabilitation for.
She started struggling to get leading lady roles in films as Hollywood tends to be notoriously ageist towards actresses. Films she starred in during the 2000s like “Cold Creek Manor,” “Catwoman” and “Basic Instinct 2” ended up being major flops critically and commercially.
By 2010, Sharon’s film career seemed to stall out. But through it all, she never fully retreated from Hollywood or “went away.” She refocused on parenting her three adopted sons while occasionally appearing in minor movie roles and TV guest appearances. Most wrote Sharon off as “washed up” and assumed her A-list days were behind her.
That’s why Sharon’s career revival in 2017 with her scene-stealing role in “The Disaster Artist” followed up by a Emmy-nominated role in “The New Pope” limited series has been so sweet.
Sharon proved she still has that perfect combo of beauty, humor, vulnerability and strength that makes people root for her comeback. Like a true Hollywood phoenix rising from the ashes, Sharon manages to repeatedly bounce back and reinvent herself decade after decade. Her resilience is so admirable.
Table 2 shows a timeline of the various “comebacks” Sharon has made during different eras.
| Era | Film/TV Project | Comeback Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | “Basic Instinct” | Breakthrough sexy star</td |
| 1995 | “Casino” | Established acting chops |
| 2017 | “The Disaster Artist” | Scene-stealing comedic role |
| 2020 | “The New Pope” | Emmy-nominated TV role |
Outsider Who Perseveres
Finally, people root for Sharon because in many ways she’s the perpetual outsider who never fits into convenient boxes, whether by her own choice or due to how Hollywood treats women. She has always been willing to go her own way even if it means temporarily losing mainstream success.
Early on, Sharon turned down “safe” bigger roles in films like “Indecent Proposal” and “Boxing Helena” that likely would have further catapulted her to fame. Sharon has spoken many times about choosing roles based on artistic merit rather than pursuing fleeting celebrity status through big budget films. She cares more about creating a lasting legacy through specific characters that connect with people.
That willingness to turn down “easy fame” for roles featuring depth, complexity, challenge and humanity is why Sharon doesn’t have the sheer number of hit films under her belt that she likely otherwise could. For better or worse, she insists on doing things her own way even when it hasn’t always led to box office success.
Additionally, Hollywood never seems to know quite what to do with magnetic, mature actresses like Sharon who refuse to go gently into retirement at 40. She keeps working despite the industry failing to provide her – and women in general – the rich roles merited by her talent.
In recent years, Sharon has opened up about how she struggled against being turned into a two-dimensional “femme fatale” character early on rather than being seen as a complex woman with the right to demand meaningful, personal roles over the years.
Yet what Sharon has accrued that transcends box office receipts is the admiration of millions for her willingness to play by her own rules. She shows it’s never too late to pivot careers and try new artistic avenues even later in life.
She’s an inspiration that no matter how many times an industry writes mature women off, it’s never over until she says so. Sharon Stone proves time and time again why she so beloved by fans who root for her success – she represents the resilient underdog who perseveres by staying true to herself.
Why Do People Admire Sharon Stone as More Than Just a “Sex Symbol”?
Clearly Sharon Stone’s cultural impact extends far beyond just being a Hollywood “sex symbol.” What lessons can everyday people learn from Sharon’s decades-long career in the public spotlight that explain why she is so widely admired?
Uses Her Platform for Good
As already demonstrated, Sharon leverages her fame and voice to bring attention to worthwhile causes that impact millions such as AIDS research and disaster relief. She understands with celebrity comes responsibility.
In 1995, long before other celebrities were paying attention, Sharon started very publicly raising money for AIDS research through the creation of her charity Planet Hope. She would speak often about the urgent need to develop medication cocktails to help those diagnosed survive.
At a time when the public still harbored a lot of fear and misinformation about AIDS and the LGBTQ community, Sharon stood proudly by those struggling through this health crisis and fought for funding that led to treatment advances benefiting millions.
Additionally, Sharon has never been afraid to criticize presidents from either political party about policies she disagrees with.
And she puts money behind causes too – like donating millions out of her own pocket towards hurricane relief campaigns to provide food, shelter and medicine for displaced survivors in underserved communities.
The lesson is Sharon understands fame affords her a responsibility to use that megaphone to actually change lives. More celebrities could learn from her example on leveraging a public platform for good.
Loyalty and Support Towards Other Women
Despite working in a cutthroat industry like Hollywood that often pits actresses against each other, Sharon has spoken often about supporting other women both in front of and behind the camera. She strives to pass along that solidarity to younger performers.
For example, when megastar Lady Gaga suffered enormous backlash regarding her acting performance in 2018’s “A Star is Born,” Sharon was one of the only Hollywood veterans to come vigorously to her public defense. Despite barely knowing Gaga personally, Sharon provided encouragement in the press that Lady Gaga had what it took to prevail as an actress.
Additionally, Sharon consistently advocates for more opportunities for women directors in Hollywood behind the scenes. She calls upon production companies to specifically carve out film budgets to allow more inclusive hiring female directors and screenwriters telling women’s stories.
The lesson Sharon shares is the importance of successful women turning around to provide support and mentorship for up-and-coming female artists following in their footsteps in competitive, biased industries.
Perseveres Over Setbacks
As described previously, Sharon’s willingness to keep rebounding after career challenges or health issues and reinvent herself decade after decade sets an example for perseverance that anyone can learn from.
How many performers would have completely retreated from Hollywood after suffering the huge public disappointments of movies like “Basic Instinct 2” or “Catwoman”? Yet Sharon took the criticism and lumps in stride, pursuing new creative directions in both film and television like learning to laugh at herself in comedies or taking risks back on the small screen with boundary-pushing series like “Mosaic” and “The New Pope.”
That type of resilience demonstrates that failures or setbacks do not have to end one’s career – they can actually lay the foundation for future breakthroughs and pivots. Sharon stone reminds people that success is not linear. Wins and losses ebb and flow. What matters is maintaining the inner confidence to weather difficult periods and emerge stronger, wiser and more clearly focused on one’s real goals.
In summation, Sharon Stone shows the world what aging gracefully in an industry notorious for cruelty against women really looks like – with intelligence, generosity, resilience and wisdom hard-won from decades of experience. That is why Sharon remains so beloved well into her 60s.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sharon Stone’s Enduring Popularity
Here are some FAQs
Why do people love Basic Instinct so much?
Several factors caused “Basic Instinct” to became one of the most talked about and commercially successful films of 1992, greatly propelling Sharon Stone’s star power in the process. First, the film’s daring sexuality and provocative nudity captured mainstream attention in a way not seen before from a female star of Sharon’s caliber.
Director Paul Verhoeven shrewdly tapped into Sharon’s charisma and physicality to create iconic scenes like “the leg uncross” that dazzled male viewers and outraged censorship advocates.
What was Sharon Stone’s big comeback movie?
After struggling in the late 90s and 2000s to regain her footing with flops like “Basic Instinct 2”, Sharon Stone caught Hollywood by surprise with her hilarious, scene-stealing supporting turn playing herself in 2017’s “The Disaster Artist”.
As aging Hollywood legend Iris Burton, Sharon displayed perfect comedic timing and self-deprecation that earned raves from critics surprised to be reminded yet again of her skills. In an indie film with a limited budget, Sharon stole scenes from headlining stars like James Franco and Seth Rogen through sheer charisma and commitment to character.
Conclusion
In closing, Sharon Stone endures as one of Hollywood’s most unique stars due to her rare combination of beauty, acting range, intelligence and resilience.
Since first bursting onto the scene over 30 years ago, she has maintained longevity because fans remain fascinated by her willingness to take risks, speak her mind freely and consistently come back from temporary setbacks stronger than ever.
Sharon also sets an example with her humanitarian activism benefiting important causes impacting women’s health, equal rights and disaster relief. Ultimately, people love Sharon because they sense her authenticity on and off-screen.
She lives her own truth rather than chasing fleeting fame. After all these years navigating the turbulent waters of celebrity, Sharon’s willingness to swim against the Hollywood tide continues to inspire. That is her true legacy.
