Sharon Stone Reflects on Iconic Basic Instinct Scene, Custody Loss Claim

Sharon Stone reflected on her infamous leg-crossing scene in the 1992 film Basic Instinct, revealing she had the legal right to remove the shot but chose not to as she believed it enhanced the movie. She acknowledged that director Paul Verhoeven was initially hesitant to show her the footage, but after calming down, she supported keeping it, recognizing the scene's value from a director's perspective rather than the actress's. Despite the scene making her an icon, Stone said it did not bring her respect and led to personal challenges, including losing custody of her son. She emphasized that societal norms have since evolved, with more explicit content now common on TV, and expressed no regrets about her decision. Stone also highlighted her strong professional relationship with Verhoeven and her belief that the movie broke new ground in its portrayal of nudity and sexuality for a major studio film. The actress's reflections come as Basic Instinct is set for a reboot, with the original writer involved in the script.