Conan O’Brien wasn't ready for Sharon Stone recreating iconic ‘Basic Instinct’ scene and neither were we
Sharon Stone's leg-crossing scene in 'Basic Instinct' remains one of the most talked-about moments in film history. In the 1992 thriller, Stone plays Catherine Tramell, a seductive crime novelist who becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation. During an intense police interrogation, she coolly smokes a cigarette and crosses her legs, momentarily revealing more than expected. The bold moment left audiences stunned and became one of the most paused scenes in cinema, for all the wrong reasons of course. Years later, during an interview on 'Conan', Stone playfully referenced the scene, and the reaction she received from the audience was something she did not expect.
During their conversation, O'Brien asked, "I believe it, but I don't know how you feel about it. I read that 'Basic Instinct' has the most paused moment in movie history." Stone jokingly replied, "Why Conan, what would that be?" She then crossed her legs, unexpectedly creating the iconic scene, causing the audience to cheer loudly. She continued, "I'm uncertain as to what moment we're talking about." The actress kept the mood light, later adding, "I'm popular." The conversation then moved to a funny story about Stone running into a fan in Israel who was wearing a shirt with her face on it. The interview remains popular, with nearly 20 million views. However, when Stone first saw the famous scene in the movie, it was a shocking experience. She revealed that she was not expecting to see herself exposed on screen and even reacted by slapping 'Basic Instinct' director Paul Verhoeven.
Stone recalled, "That was how I saw my vagina shot for the first time, long after I'd been told, 'We can't see anything – I just need you to remove your panties, as the white is reflecting the light, so we know you have panties on.'" She continued, "I went to the projection booth, slapped Paul across the face, left, went to my car, and called my lawyer, Marty Singer." In the end, Stone decided to let the scene stay in the film because she believed it was important for the story. She explained, "I let Paul know of the options Marty had laid out for me. Of course, he vehemently denied that I had any choices at all. I was just an actress, just a woman; what choices could I have?" She added, "But I did have choices. So I thought and thought and I chose to allow this scene in the film. Why? Because it was correct for the film and for the character; and because, after all, I did it," as per Business Insider.
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Fans rushed to the YouTube video's comments section with one of them saying, "She's so smart.. instead of being the vulnerable one and getting cornered in ways she would have to respond, she goes ahead of people and makes all the potentially uncomfortable (to her) and outrageous jokes herself before they even have a chance. She knows she is not gonna be the target of smartass talk show hosts, but she's gonna lead the way herself, so she disarms them completely."
"I didn't expect this, but she has excellent comedic timing. That last joke was pretty amazing," wrote another fan. A fan commented, "What I like most about this is not (just) that she's gorgeous, but it is so clear how SMART and funny she is. Really enjoyed her witty one-line responses!" "I like her voice! Almost no one speaks that clearly and distinctly nowadays." Many even praised Stone saying, "Sharon outplayed Conan- (something you almost never see)." In recent news, Stone claimed she was unexpectedly removed from the cast of the upcoming sequel 'Another Simple Favor.' She expressed her frustration on social media, stating she was dismissed "for no reason at all," as per The New York Times.