Sharon Stone Reflects on Resilience in Tearful Message to Her Younger Self
When asked what advice she would give her younger self about resilience, Hollywood icon Sharon Stone found herself unexpectedly emotional. The 66-year-old actress, humanitarian, author, producer, and now painter paused, covered her eyes, and began to cry.
“You’re going to make it,” she said softly. “You don’t know it, but you’re going to make it.”
Stone recalled the life-altering brain hemorrhage she experienced 23 years ago, which nearly claimed her life. “An artery ruptured, causing a bleed on my brain and a stroke. I was given a 1% chance of survival,” she shared. Recovery meant relearning basics like walking and talking.
Reflecting on that time, she said, “I wish I had known. I would have it tattooed on the inside of my eyelids.” Her voice trembled as she recounted lying on the floor, unable to get an ambulance, and reading in People magazine that it would take 30 days to know if she would live or die.
Through it all—financial struggles, a custody battle with her ex-husband over their adopted son Roan, and rebuilding her career—Stone hadn’t fully recognized her resilience until that moment. “It’s been that long, and it’s OK… it’s over… everybody made it to shore.”
Resilience is the theme of this year’s BBC 100 Women season, which celebrates influential women worldwide. When Stone was informed of her inclusion, she beamed with pride.
A Star’s Journey
Stone shot to superstardom in the 1992 thriller Basic Instinct, a film that cemented her as a sex symbol but also typecast her. Instead of resisting the label, she used it to champion causes like HIV and AIDS awareness, raising substantial funds to combat the stigma.
“I took this idea that I was ‘really sexy’ and used it to fight a disease where people were being punished for their sexuality because I was being punished for mine,” she said. Her advocacy earned her the 2013 Nobel Peace Summit Award and recognition as the United Nations’ Global Citizen of the Year in 2023.
Stone’s acting accolades include a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for her role in Martin Scorsese’s Casino (1995). Recently, the Turin Film Museum honored her with the Stella della Mole Award for lifetime achievement.
A New Chapter
In recent years, Stone has reinvented herself as a painter. Her journey into art began during the pandemic in a studio near her Los Angeles home. Known for bold, impressionistic works, she describes painting as an immersive and liberating experience.
“I don’t plan my paintings—I’m just in it so deeply. It’s wonderful,” she explained, attributing her love for large-scale pieces partly to her poor eyesight and partly to inspiration from her aunt, who painted murals.
Finding Love in the Digital Age
Stone has even ventured into online dating. While she humorously admits to being briefly blocked on Bumble for seeming “too good to be true,” she remains skeptical about dating apps. “You can’t smell chemistry through the pages,” she laughed, likening the search for connection to a truffle pig sniffing out treasure.
A Changed Perspective
The brain hemorrhage left Stone “a very different person,” altering her tastes and even her allergies. The film industry has also evolved. “In the past, women played the fantasy of men,” she observed, noting how male filmmakers dominated the creative process. Today, she celebrates more authentic portrayals of women onscreen.
Choosing Joy
When asked what resilience means to her, Stone’s answer was simple yet profound: “We can choose to bitch and moan, or we can choose joy. You fell down. Get up. Someone pushed you down. Now they want to help you up. Let them.”
As the interview ended, Stone hugged her interviewer, thanking her for the question about her younger self. “That was really poignant,” she said before embracing her once more and walking away—a woman who has lived through unimaginable challenges and emerged with grace, strength, and joy.
BBC.COM
