Few films of the '90s blended thrills and eroticism like "Basic Instinct." Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the film is remembered as one of the greatest R-rated blockbusters, impressing with its highly explicit content, both in its depiction of homosexuality and its nudity and passionate scenes. Beyond these aspects, the film captured attention thanks to the excellent performances of the cast, particularly Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone, the latter of whom has a special connection to the film, which represented a fundamental turning point in her career.

Even today, in a completely changed media and socio-cultural context, anecdotes and curiosities circulate about how such a film was made. In a 2023 interview on the program "Who's Talking with Chris Wallace?", Stone revealed some long-kept secrets. The actress first recalled the long and demanding auditions required to land the part, revealing Michael Douglas's initial hesitation: "They asked me to audition, but it turned out Michael Douglas didn't want to audition with me initially. It was a huge risk for him to play that part at that point in his career."

Verhoeven's determination, however, was crucial in convincing Douglas to change his mind and give the role to Stone: "Then, after more auditions at Douglas's request, Verhoeven said, 'OK, but at every audition we do, we'll screen Sharon's audition afterward, and their audition will have to beat Sharon's.' So they auditioned with about 12, 13, 14 women, and none of them beat my audition. And so, finally, Michael agreed to audition with me."

Another key factor in persuading Douglas was the director's advice to Stone to show her ease with sensuality: "Paul said, 'Well, you're going to have to somehow show him that you're comfortable with nudity.' I had bought this Giorgio Armani suit, which to me at the time was every penny I had. And I also bought some sheer shirts. I wasn't wearing anything underneath. And so halfway through the audition, I just took my jacket off halfway through the scene. I saw Michael look at me, and then look at Paul, as if to say, 'We've found her.' The audition went really well, and I got the job."

Despite having repeatedly criticized the infamous leg-crossing scene—which, according to past statements, was filmed without her consent—Stone proudly recalls the moment she landed the role and the fame it brought. In a 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she said: “I wanted to play it so badly that I kept the script on the refrigerator for eight months. I kept thinking, ‘I’m going to do this, I’m going to get this part,’ while they were offering it to every other actress on the planet. I was the thirteenth choice. The executive producer kept telling me this throughout the entire shoot, calling me Karen: ‘You, Karen, were the thirteenth choice.’”

After her success, the emotion she experienced on the red carpet in Cannes left an indelible memory: “As I walked down the red carpet in Cannes and a thousand people began chanting my name, I felt a wave of relief, a sense of calm, wash over me.”

Thirty-three years later, it turns out that original screenwriter Joe Eszterhas has completed the script for a reboot of "Basic Instinct": an updated version, designed to keep pace with the times and, specifically, with a decidedly "anti-woke" focus. Produced by Amazon MGM Studios and producer Scott Stube, the film will once again attempt to shock audiences, without fear of scandal, despite the heavy criticism it has received from the LGBTQ+ community and some feminist movements. While no further details were revealed, Eszterhas said in an interview with IndieWire: “For those wondering what an 80-year-old man is doing writing a sexy, erotic thriller: the rumors about my screen impotence are exaggerated and ageist. I call my writing partner the twisted little man, and he lives somewhere inside me. He was born at 29 and will die at 29, and he tells me he’s over the moon about the idea of writing this work and giving viewers a wild, orgasmic experience. That makes me very happy.”

Giovanni Scanu

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