Sharon Stone biography, age, young, relationship, stroke, children 2025

Biography of Sharon Stone

Sharon Vonne Stone is a captivating Hollywood icon who became the ultimate 1990s sex symbol while proving herself a brilliant intellectual with an IQ of 154 – matching Einstein's genius and standing as the highest recorded among actresses.

Throughout her three-decade acting career, she has played over eighty roles and won numerous prestigious awards, including a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination for "Casino," an Emmy for the TV series "The Practice," and two MTV Movie Awards for the thriller "Basic Instinct."

Paul Verhoeven's erotic thriller launched her into Hollywood stardom, showcasing her magnetic screen presence and undeniable charisma. The notorious interrogation scene – where her character crosses her legs during police questioning, revealing she's not wearing underwear – became cinema's most iconic and provocative moment.

Many credit Sharon Stone with transforming the Cannes Film Festival into cinema's most glamorous showcase. Throughout the '90s, she hosted and inspired the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS charity gala during the festival, transforming it into the ultimate A-list social event.

In 2003, the actress received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2005, Gilles Jacob, president of the Cannes Film Festival, awarded her the Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters of France. In 2013, at the Warsaw Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, she received the Award for AIDS activism from the Dalai Lama XIV, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.

Childhood

The future movie star was born on March 10, 1958, in the small town of Meadville, located in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, about 90 miles from Pittsburgh. She was the second child of librarian Dorothy Mary and factory worker-toolmaker Joseph William, who had Irish roots. Her older brother Michael was born in 1951, younger brother Patrick in 1965, and sister Kelly in 1961.

From birth, Sharon showed exceptional intellectual abilities. She was exceptionally quick-witted, spoke before her first birthday, learned to read by four, and at five was admitted directly to the second grade of the nearest middle school in Saegertown.

Because of her advanced intellect, she grew up as a reserved child who didn't like playing with dolls and preferred to secretly read her mother's romance novels while hiding in her father's garage. There, she would stage theatrical performances, assigning roles to her brothers and sister. Their performance of "Hansel and Gretel" by the Brothers Grimm was especially popular with the neighbors, who served as their audience. At the age of six, after watching a movie with the brilliant Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, she already knew she wanted to become an actress.

She had almost no friends at school, kept to herself, and didn't seek interaction with peers. But she was very close to her family, especially to her father, a moderately strict, simple, and kind man.

Besides cinema, theater, and literature, young Sharon loved horses. She has a large scar on her neck as a memory of this passion. At 13, she received a pony as a gift. The animal turned out to be very stubborn, and the young rider ran into a clothesline, getting badly injured.

Intelligence tests revealed Sharon's high IQ of 154 and her aptitude for mathematics, technology, and natural sciences. Her parents were pleased that she had a great prospect for a career as an engineer, chemist, or lawyer. But according to her brother Michael, they always emphasized that their daughter could choose whatever path she wanted. In the evenings, lying in their beds, the sisters often discussed their dreams: the older one wanted to become the next Marilyn Monroe, and the younger one wanted to be a nurse.

Sharon's appearance back then was pretty ordinary – an angular figure, dull hair, and thick-lensed glasses. But dreaming of Hollywood, she began working on her image – experimenting with hair color, different clothing styles, and started using contact lenses, gradually transforming into an attractive girl.

The girl turned from a plain girl into a beauty

After graduating from high school in 1975, Stone won a scholarship for her literary abilities and became a student at Edinboro University while working as a cashier at McDonald's. Her academic performance remained above average, so the dean of the literature department, where she studied, allowed her to simultaneously attend a course in architectural history.

During her college years, Sharon entered a county beauty pageant and won the title of "Miss Crawford." She then advanced to the "Miss Pennsylvania" contest in Philadelphia. This time, she didn't win, but one of the judges advised her to try modeling.

The Path to Hollywood

The chance to become a model drew Stone in with the promise of escaping small-town life. She contacted Ford Modeling Agency in New York and soon got a contract. After that, she left school and moved away from Meadville. Years later, she went back to school at the University of Edinburgh and earned a humanities degree.

From 1976 to 1979, Sharon worked as a model. Over those three years, she broke into the top ten models at her agency and traveled the world, hitting fashion capitals like Paris and Milan. However, she still wanted to become an actress, so she returned to New York and began studying acting. Before getting a role in a film, she appeared in dozens of commercials.

At the beginning of her career, Sharon Stone worked as a fashion model

The determined and talented actress made her screen debut in 1980. She appeared in Woody Allen's tragicomedy "Stardust Memories" in a cameo as a beautiful woman the protagonist (played by Allen himself) glimpses as a fleeting vision through a passing train window.

Sharon Stone's first film role (Stardust Memories, 1980)

Legend has it that Allen picked Stone from hundreds of candidates after just a half-hour conversation. They didn't discuss the film but rather the nature of infinity. The famous director noticed that while waiting for her turn, she was reading a children's book left by someone that explained this concept. Apparently, her intellect made quite an impression on the cinema legend, and he gave her the role.

Soon after, her striking looks landed her the role of Lana, a top model and drug addict who's friends with main character Martha (Maren Jensen), in horror master Wes Craven's "Deadly Blessing," released in 1981. Meanwhile, she kept taking classes, honing her acting chops, and doing whatever it took to become a real star.

That same year saw the release of French director Claude Lelouch's musical drama "Bolero." She played the role of Glenn's girlfriend, played by James Caan. Besides him, her colleagues on set were Daniel Olbrychski and Geraldine Chaplin. A string of films and TV shows followed where Stone kept playing supporting roles, including "Remington Steele" with Pierce Brosnan, "Magnum, P.I." with Tom Selleck, and "Calendar Girl Murders" with Tom Skerritt.

In 1984, the dramatic TV film "The Vegas Strip War" was released, where her co-star was Hollywood legend Rock Hudson. She played Sarah, a cigarette girl in a casino who seduces the establishment's owner, played by Hudson. That same year, the comedy-drama "Irreconcilable Differences" with Ryan O'Neal, Shelley Long, and Drew Barrymore was released, where Sharon delivered a brilliant satirical performance as waitress Blake.

The young actress quickly blossomed both personally and professionally. In 1985, she landed roles in both the police series "T.J. Hooker" alongside William Shatner and the adventure film "King Solomon's Mines," adapted from H. Rider Haggard's classic novel.

She followed up with the sequel "Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold" the following year. She took on the pivotal role of Jess Huston, a determined woman searching for her missing father. He'd been leading an expedition to uncover King Solomon's legendary treasures deep in the African jungle. Joining her on the adventure was seasoned hunter Allan Quatermain (Richard Chamberlain). They faced bandits, cannibals, pythons, crocodiles, and leopards.

In 1987, she played witty journalist Claire in "Police Academy 4," and the following year saw her appear in six different film projects. These included the police action thriller "Above the Law," where she played Sara, wife of ex-CIA agent Nico (Steven Seagal), and the British war drama "Tears in the Rain," adapted from Pamela Wallace's novel.

Above the Law: Sharon Stone and Steven Seagal

She played Casey, an American woman who travels to England to deliver a deathbed letter from her mother to British Lord Bredon. The lord refuses the letter, claiming he never knew her mother. When the lord's son Michael (Christopher Cazenove) falls for Casey, they team up to uncover the mystery behind their parents' connection.

From 1988 to 1989, Stone portrayed Janice, a refined senator's daughter, in the epic miniseries "War and Remembrance." Alongside her were Robert Hardy as Churchill, Ralph Bellamy as Roosevelt, and Steven Berkoff as Hitler. Her character was torn between her love for Warren (Michael Woods) and a wartime affair with naval officer Aster (Barry Bostwick). Stone later called the experience invaluable, expressing pride in being part of such a significant production.

A frame from the film War and Remembrance

In 1989, Sharon took on the Spanish drama "Blood and Sand," directed by Javier Elorrieta and based on Vicente Blasco Ibáñez's psychological novel. She played the pivotal role of Doña Sol, a seductive aristocrat whose treachery destroys the talented matador Juan Gallardo.

Career Breakthrough: Remembering Total Recall

The actress's career breakthrough came with the 1990 sci-fi action film "Total Recall," directed by Paul Verhoeven. She played Lori, wife of protagonist Douglas (Arnold Schwarzenegger) - a deadly, trained operative who tries to kill him.

Sharon Stone Total Recall Fight

The film received positive reviews, won an Oscar for visual effects, a Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film, and grossed over $260 million on a $65 million budget.

On the set of the action movie 'Total Recall'

Following the film's success, the 32-year-old actress posed for "Playboy" to capitalize on her newfound fame. The magazine - featuring her topless with an ice cube between her teeth - sold out almost immediately. Sharon started being recognized on the streets.

The actress's second appearance on the cover of Playboy

In 1991, she appeared as Linda, ex-girlfriend of protagonist Dan (Kevin Bacon), in the romantic comedy "He Said, She Said." She then played American journalist Alison, caught in Italy's violent "Red Brigades" terrorism, in the drama "Year of the Gun."

That same year, she starred in the psychological thriller "Scissors" as Angela, a woman attacked by a maniac. The emotional trauma she endured exacerbated her mental health issues. She feels like she's losing her mind, especially when trapped in a mysterious apartment that embodies her deepest fears.

In 1992, Stone finally landed the role that made her a superstar: Catherine, a beautiful, mysterious, bisexual novelist suspected of killing a rock star, in Paul Verhoeven's hit film "Basic Instinct."

Basic Instinct Interrogation Scene

Michael Douglas, who played detective Nick, initially balked at doing erotic scenes with an "amateur." He wanted Isabelle Adjani as his co-star, but she declined due to the explicit scenes in the script. Other A-listers, including Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, and Geena Davis, also passed on the role.

Verhoeven, who'd worked with Sharon on "Total Recall," convinced Michael to screen-test with her to see her charisma firsthand. After the screen test, Douglas - then one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors - told Paul the film would be a hit. He said he could see it in her eyes. He was right: on a $49 million budget, the thriller grossed over $350 million, becoming the year's fourth-highest earner. Though it didn't win any awards at Cannes, it was later hailed as a "neo-noir masterpiece."

Sharon Stone's Screen Test for Basic Instinct

That infamous interrogation scene? Pure Paul Verhoeven, sparked by a flirtatious encounter at a party. During filming, Verhoeven asked Sharon Stone to remove her underwear because it was too bright under the studio lights. She agreed on the condition that any explicit shots would be cut in editing, but Verhoeven didn't keep his word.

With Paul Verhoeven at the Cannes Film Festival

Now a top-tier star, Stone began fielding countless film offers. She chose the erotic thriller "Sliver," based on a novel by American writer Ira Levin, released in 1993. The plot was more intellectually complex, centered on murder and voyeurism. Stone played Carly, a young woman fresh from a failed marriage and recent separation.

But Stone didn't meet critics' expectations, and the MTV Movie Award went to her co-star William Baldwin, one of four acting brothers. Still, she scored an invitation to host the 1993 Oscars, and Premiere magazine put her on their "Hollywood's 100 Most Powerful People" list at number 54, ranking above cinema legends like Barbra Streisand and Jane Fonda.

Stone's next project was the drama "Intersection," remaking a popular French film based on Paul Guimard's novel. She played Sally, the cold and detached wife of Vincent (Richard Gere). The project netted Stone a record $3 million fee, praise from director Mark Rydell, who noted her "much more serious acting talent than it might seem," and a Razzie Award for Worst Actress.

Sharon Stone in the movie 'Intersection'

1994 brought the action thriller "The Specialist," based on John Shirley's book series. Stone played May, a woman out for revenge against the mafia for murdering her family. Her co-star was Sylvester Stallone, who played Ray, a former CIA captain turned hitman. Stallone later admitted he'd never done such steamy, sensual scenes as those with Stone.

The next year, trying to break free from "sex symbol" roles, Stone appeared in Sam Raimi's western "The Quick and the Dead." She transformed into Ellen, the only woman in a gunfighting contest, mysterious and sexy even in cowboy gear. Her co-stars included Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, and Gary Sinise. For this role, she received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actress.

In 1995, Martin Scorsese's crime drama "Casino," based on Nicholas Pileggi and Larry Shandling's book, hit theaters. The film marked Scorsese's third gangster epic following "Mean Streets" and "Goodfellas." Stone brilliantly embodied Ginger, the volatile lover of professional gambler and casino boss Sam (Robert De Niro).

The director emphasized that her role demanded exceptional skill. She particularly excelled in the intense scenes with Sam's old friend Nicky (Joe Pesci). Her character faced danger from this dealer, and Stone brought incredible tension to the intimate scenes. This performance brought Stone not only fame but also critical recognition for her exceptional work. She was awarded a Golden Globe and received an Oscar nomination.

With Martin Scorsese on the set of 'Casino'

The following year, Stone took on the lead role of Cindy in Bruce Beresford's drama "Last Dance." According to the plot, her character awaits execution on death row for a double murder committed 12 years earlier in her teens. Lawyer Hayes (Rob Morrow) fights to save her, arguing that she's transformed during her years in prison. But he encounters resistance and indifference at every turn, making her execution seem inevitable.

That same year, Stone starred in the thriller "Diabolique" as Nicole, the mistress of cruel school director Baron. Together with his wife, Mia (Isabelle Adjani), she decides to kill their tormentor.

Stone took on major roles in several other 1998 releases. In the sci-fi thriller "Sphere," she played biologist Beth, who joins psychologist Norman (Dustin Hoffman) and mathematician Harry (Samuel L. Jackson) to investigate an alien craft on the ocean floor. In the drama "The Mighty," she played Gwen, mother to a brilliant boy battling a terminal illness. In the thriller "Gloria," she risked her life to save a child.

40-year-old Sharon Stone in the movie 'Sphere'

In 1999, Stone delighted audiences with her vibrant performance in Albert Brooks's comedy "The Muse," playing Sarah, a woman who can restore creative inspiration. She starred alongside Brooks himself, Jeff Bridges, and Andie MacDowell. In 2000, she joined the ensemble cast of the black comedy "Picking Up the Pieces," which included Woody Allen, David Schwimmer, and Kiefer Sutherland.

Barbara Walters Interviews Sharon Stone - 1993

After suffering a near-fatal stroke in 2001, Stone was forced to step back from acting. But in 2003, she made her comeback as lawyer Sheila Carlisle in the legal drama "The Practice," earning her a Primetime Emmy Award.

She then appeared in the sci-fi action film "Catwoman" (with Halle Berry and Benjamin Bratt), the psychological thriller "Cold Creek Manor" (with Dennis Quaid and Kristen Stewart), and the drama "A Different Loyalty."

Sharon Stone and Halle Berry ('Catwoman')

Among the star's notable works is the tragicomedy "Broken Flowers" by Jim Jarmusch, starring Bill Murray, which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005. Critics noted that Stone, playing the main character's former girlfriend, was "still not just sexy but astonishing and funny."

On the set of the movie 'Broken Flowers'

In 2009, audiences saw the Hollywood beauty in the action film "Streets of Blood," where she starred alongside Val Kilmer, rapper 50 Cent, and Michael Biehn. Six films featuring her were released in 2013.

'Love in the Big City 3': Sharon Stone and Philipp Kirkorov

In 2015, she appeared in the American TV series "Agent X" as Maccabee, the Vice President of the United States. Critics praised her performance, calling her "the only thing worth watching in the show." In 2017, Hollywood premiered the romantic comedy "A Little Something for Your Birthday," where the star played the lead role of Senna, a fashion designer desperately trying to find her soulmate.

A shot from the movie 'A Little Something for Your Birthday'

The following year, she played children's author Olivia in Steven Soderbergh's innovative project "Mosaic," an interactive mini-series where viewers could choose which character to follow during the murder investigation using a mobile app. According to critics, this role instantly made Stone a superstar again.

Sharon Stone in a swimsuit: then and now

Sharon Stone's Personal Life

The Hollywood icon, who's set beauty standards worldwide for decades, has been married three times and linked to countless romances. Rumors circulated that she had romantic relationships with Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Antonio Banderas.

Sharon Stone: Incredible Love Stories

Her first husband, from 1984 to 1990, was TV producer and writer Michael Greenburg. She met him while filming "War in Las Vegas" and fell head over heels instantly. He was smart, gorgeous, and shared her deep passion for filmmaking.

She met her second husband, producer William J. MacDonald, in 1993 on the set of the thriller "Sliver." Swept away by her beauty and magnetism, he left his wife to be with her. Their romance lasted only a year.

Next up was Bob Wagner, first assistant director on the western "The Quick and the Dead," who fell for the incomparable screen goddess. They were engaged, but the wedding never took place.

Sharon Stone and Bob Wagner were engaged

On Valentine's Day in 1998, Stone married "San Francisco Chronicle" editor Phil Bronstein. In 2000, after unsuccessful attempts to have a child, she and her husband decided to adopt a boy named Roan Joseph.

In 2001, Stone's world changed forever when she suffered a massive stroke. Her recovery was grueling, leaving her with memory issues that made directors reluctant to hire her.

In 2001, I had a nine-day brain hemorrhage and a massive, very debilitating stroke. Most people die by the fourth day when they get to the hospital. But the doctors didn't see the burst vessel on the angiogram and were going to send me home, thinking I was just faking it.

In 2003, during her stroke rehabilitation, her husband filed for divorce and won custody of their adopted son. After the divorce, she adopted two more boys: Laird in 2005 and Quinn a year later.

All of Sharon Stone's children are adopted

Despite her rocky romantic history, the legendary seductress – famous for killer quotes like "In bed, I mostly love to read scripts" and "My friends call me a bitch – but affectionately" – hasn't given up on love.

In 2012-2013, she had a brief relationship with a 27-year-old model from Argentina, Martin Mica. At the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015, she dated actor David DeLuise, who played the father of Selena Gomez's character in the sitcom "Wizards of Waverly Place."

In 2018, news surfaced that the actress had a new love interest, 41-year-old Italian businessman Angelo Boffa, who dealt in real estate in Zurich (incidentally, Sharon speaks Italian). He was so taken with the actress that he proposed just a few weeks into their romance. A year later, after they'd split, he told an interviewer that age doesn't matter in relationships and that Stone is "a wonderful woman, stunningly beautiful both inside and out."

In 2019, they went their separate ways. The star fell for fellow Italian Vincenzo Curcio. He is a journalist and human rights activist. Their age gap is smaller – she's only nine years his senior.

Sharon Stone Recreates the Scene from 'Basic Instinct'

In the summer of 2021, rumors arose about a romance with 25-year-old rapper RMR. They were spotted partying together, having fun, and seemingly unbothered by their age gap. But when reporters asked about their relationship, Sharon just laughed and said no one could come up with a funnier question.

The actress has quit smoking and drinking, avoids caffeine due to allergies, and continues acting in films while doing charity work and supporting the fight against AIDS. She remains in excellent shape and full of energy.

Sharon Stone Now

In 2019, the actress appeared in the third season of the comedy-drama series "Better Things." In the same year, she worked on a small role in Paolo Sorrentino's series "The New Pope," an Italian-Spanish-French project that continues the 2016 series "The Young Pope." Jude Law plays Pope Pius XIII, and John Malkovich plays the new Pope John Paul III.

Sharon Stone in the series 'The New Pope' (2020)

In 2020, the series "Ratched," based on Ken Kesey's bestseller "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," premiered. Stone's co-stars included Sarah Paulson, Jon Jon Briones, and Finn Wittrock. The show was quite successful and got renewed for a second season.

Additionally, in 2020, Stone appeared in the series "The Flight Attendant," starring Kaley Cuoco. In 2021, she appeared in the dramedy "Here Today," and in 2022, she starred in the feature drama "Beauty" and the comedy-mystery "Murderville."

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Photos: Sharon Stone