Sharon Stone Biography

Actress. Born Sharon Yvonne Stone on March 10, 1958 in Meadville, Pennsylvania. The daughter of a factory worker, Stone won a scholarship to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania at age 15. At Edinboro she studied creative writing and fine arts. Upon graduation, the Miss Pennsylvania beauty pageant winner decided to pursue a modeling career in New York where she signed with the Ford agency. By the late 1970s, Stone was a highly sought-after model, appearing in both print and television ads nationwide.

Stone decided to branch out into acting in the 1980s, making a number of television and movie appearance throughout the decade. She played the memorable role of Blake Chandler in the 1984 Golden Globe-nominated comedy, Irreconcilable Differences. She also earned laughs in the popular comedy film, Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol  (1987).

Her breakthrough film role came in 1990 with the Philip K. Dick action thriller, Total Recall. Stone played Lori, the gorgeous but deadly wife of Douglas Quaid (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger). The film did well with fans, grossing more than $100 million at U.S. box offices. In an effort to promote the film, Stone also appeared that year in a Playboy magazine spread. Her photo shoot earned her a spot on the magazine's "Top 25 Sexiest Stars of the Century" list.

In 1992, Stone landed the unforgettable role of a bisexual murder suspect in the blockbuster film Basic Instinct. Stone sparked controversy for a particular scene in the film, which required her to cross and uncross her legs in a way which revealed she was not wearing underwear. While Stone initially claimed she was not aware of the level of nudity that would be revealed in the film, she later recanted.

The film was a blockbuster hit, and earned Stone Golden Globe and Saturn award nominations for her performance. She also landed on People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" list shortly after the film's release.

Subsequent films, such as Sliver (1993) and The Specialist (1994), did not fare as well with critics or fans. The lull in her career led some to claim that her success had more to do with her simmering sexuality than her acting. But Stone proved the critics wrong in 1995 with Martin Scorsese's Casino. The film won Stone a Golden Globe as well as an Academy Award nomination, and put Stone back in the limelight.

Following the win, she took on a number of dramatic roles including The Quick and the Dead (1995) and Last Dance (1996). She finished the decade with a number of uneven films, including Sphere in 1998 and Gloria in 1999, but received praise for her comedic performance in The Muse that same year.

In 2001, Stone encountered health problems after a severe headache turned into a brain hemorrhage. The actress recovered, and returned to the big screen in 2004 as the co-star of Catwoman with Benjamin Bratt and Halle Berry.