Podcast: Don't Kill the Messenger with Movie Research Expert Kevin Goetz 
Guest:  Actress, Activist, and Painter, Sharon Stone
Interview Transcript:

Announcer (00:02):

There's a little-known part of Hollywood that most people are not aware of, known as the audience test preview. The recently released book Audienceology reveals this for the first time. Our podcast series, Don't Kill The Messenger brings this book to life, taking a peek behind the curtain. And now join author and entertainment research expert, Kevin Goetz.

Kevin Goetz (00:24):

Welcome back listeners. This is part two of my interview with actress, human rights activist, painter, and writer, the beautiful and iconic, and one of my dearest friends, Sharon Stone. Sharon, 17 movies later, you now are doing your 18th movie, so we're talking a full decade later, after that Woody Allen experience, you arrived in Cannes for the premiere of Basic Instinct.

Sharon Stone (00:53):

Yeah, we opened the festival.

Kevin Goetz (00:55):

You opened the festival and you went in as a working actress. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. And I love the story so, so much. One of my favorites actually. And you emerged from the Palais as an international movie star. What does that feel like?

Sharon Stone (01:12):

Well, it was pretty much walking in because they'd been showing it all day. And <laugh> Carolco had put me in a hotel on…

Kevin Goetz (01:24):

That was the company who made it, Mario Kassar and Andy Vajna.

Sharon Stone (01:27):

Had put me on a hotel, just a regular hotel on the strip. And I didn't have any security. And I had a regular car with a guy driving it. And two of my best friends were in Cannes.

Kevin Goetz (01:41):

Who was it? Mimi and who?

Sharon Stone (01:42):

Donna Chavous.

Kevin Goetz (01:43):

Oh, Donna was there too.

Sharon Stone (01:44):

Yeah. So I didn't have a makeup artist or a hairdresser.

Kevin Goetz (01:47):

Who dressed you? Do you remember?

Sharon Stone (01:48):

Me.

Kevin Goetz (01:49):

No one even gave you a dress for the premiere.

Sharon Stone (01:52):

Vera of course gave me a dress. Vera Wang was one of my best friends still. But I had nothing. <laugh>. No, no specials. Okay. Not even a security person. Okay. Imagine being in Cannes with Basic Instinct with no security. So I get there to the event and you know, you go in the chute with the car you drive, there's fans everywhere. There's this red carpet that's, you know, the width of a double street. All the paparazzi here and black tie everything. I get there. We all go onto the end of the red carpet. Me, Michael Douglas, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Andy, Mario. We're all there together. Verhoeven. We get to the edge of the carpet and we're all supposed to go on the carpet. But the fans start screaming Sharon, Sharon, like this and there are thousands of fans, tens of thousands of fans. It's insanity. Right.

Kevin Goetz (02:51):

Who had seen the movie that day? Right?

Sharon Stone (02:53):

Right. All day long. And Verhoeven just shoves me out onto the carpet. Now at this point, I'm not even in an evening gown. I'm in a day dress that I bought off the rack for 40 bucks at a South Beverly Hills shop with a couple sunflowers beaded here, right, that I thought was cute. I mean it was a mad house. And when I came out of there and I got in that one car with my two friends and tried to get back to the hotel, there were so many people over the car that my friends put me on the ground and they laid on top of me because the car was being caved in. We got back to the hotel the next morning, we didn't know what to do. We thought, okay, we'll go down to the pool and just get some food and see like what to do and try to figure out how we were gonna go to the stuff the next day.

Sharon Stone (03:53):

When I got back to my room and I had on a bikini and I had on a beautiful Nino Sheroodi had given me this pool coverup that was black to the ground with splits up the side that had a hood. I had that on and a pair of black high-heeled sandals. And I had purple round prescription glasses. My contacts were in the room, came back to the room, everything was stolen. My contact lenses, my toothbrush, the film outta my camera, all my clothes. The only thing left is what I have on my back. That's it.

Kevin Goetz (04:36):

<laugh>

Sharon Stone (04:37):

And my purple glasses, everything is gone. Everybody wants my stuff. I realize I can't stay in the hotel, but I have nowhere to go. And it's the middle of Cannes, all the rooms are sold out and I don't know what to do. And I call Mario, who's the only one I can talk to 'cause Mario's nice. And I tell him I don't know what to do. And he says, well, we don't have money. <laugh> always the joke, we're on the money Ha ha to get you security and we don't have this and we don't have that. I'm like, well you have to move me because I'm not safe. 

Kevin Goetz (05:12):

I'm not safe. Yeah.

Sharon Stone (05:13):

I really am not safe. I don't even have underwear, any clothes. They took my contact lenses. Mario. I'm really afraid. Of course, this is the beginning of me being difficult. <laugh>. 

Kevin Goetz (05:25):

Yeah, you're asking for so much.

Sharon Stone (05:27):

I am. I'm asking for the world. 

Kevin Goetz (05:29):

Please

Protect my, yeah, my being.

Sharon Stone (05:30):

And of course I didn't make any money, so what am I doing? Right? So they find out that at the Ducap there's a house on the property of this hotel,

Kevin Goetz (05:40):

The hotel Ducap, which is in Antibes or is it?

Sharon Stone (05:42):

Yeah. Yeah. And so they put us in this house, which is gorgeous. It has an upstairs, a downstairs. It's really fancy.

Kevin Goetz (05:52):

And you always had to pay cash in that hotel at that time too. 

Sharon Stone (05:55):

Yes. So I'm trying to leave the hotel and they've got kitchen staff bellboy and everybody doing what they call a buttonhole, which is where they hold arm to arm and they try to get around us so that we can get through the lobby, which is now teaming with fans in a kind of lunacy, which I had yet to ever see. Wow. So we're trying to get out and I'm in my swimsuit cover-up and my glasses and this guy comes running and he lunges at me and the guys straight arm him and he hits their arm and slides under with his wingtips. And the thick sole of his wingtip catches under my toenail. Oh Jesus. And rips my toenail out by the roots. And I'm in my high heels sandals, you know, and I'm trying to get out and I'm just like, oh. But we can't stop because everybody's lunging at me.

Sharon Stone (06:50):

And everybody in this hotel is running and lunging at me. And they're all like these kids, these bellhops and these sous chefs from the kitchen are trying to be around us to get us out through the back. We get in the back, I lay over the hump in this one little car that we have, Donna lays on top of me and Mimi 'cause she's a little bit like me with the blonde hair, puts on my glasses and pretends to be me sitting in the back and waving so we can get out of the back drive of the hotel. And I'm laying on the ground with bleeding onto the floor mat. And that's Hello, you're famous. Wow. It was just nuts.

Kevin Goetz (07:33):

Now I have, since that time, let me just tell our listeners, I have had the good fortune to be your date. Not once, but twice in Cannes. And we went for, I think you were shooting Basic Two.

Sharon Stone (07:44):

That extraordinary piece of cinema history. <laugh>,

Kevin Goetz (07:48):

Well, here's what I wanna say, but you were so incredible. Just a couple of things. I have a few stories in there 'cause we had some very fun, fun times. I remember being in, I wanna say the Carlton, this is the first time we were, we…

Sharon Stone (07:59):

Were at the Carlton the first time.

Kevin Goetz (08:01):

Okay. So you were doing a press tour and I've never been on a press tour with a movie star. And you had about four or five different changes. Right. And first of all, for the people who were really into fashion and glamor, the jewelers would come and open, I'm talking De Beers, I'm talking Chopard. 

Sharon Stone (08:24):

Chopard.

Kevin Goetz (08:26):

And they would open these cases of jewels. Yeah. Pick your jewels. Yeah. And she would take these two here and she knew <inaudible>, but you've always had exceptional taste. So you would always know what to wear with which thing and what. And I remember at one time you didn't wear anything underneath your outfit 'cause you were going from one to the other. Yeah. And I remember at one point you took the dress off completely right in front of my face. And I'm standing there and Sharon Stone’s you know what is right in front of my face. I said, do you know how many straight men would offer me 100 grand right now cash for the luxury of being where I am at this moment. But what you did was so great. We were going to the Palais. Yeah. And you said, I think Paulette was there, I think your sister Kelly and a couple others. And you had us get into like a circle. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. And you said, I really need to ground you all, you need to understand what we're going into. And I was like, oh, Sharon's being dramatic. She's doing a whole unga bunga, airy fairy thing. We all participated and then we go to the Palais and we get into the car and they were shaking the vehicle. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. There were now I would say eight or 10 security folks, detail. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative> on you. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. I mean France loves their great beauties. I just have to say they really do.

Sharon Stone (09:50):

It's really something when you're in a car and the fans start terrifying and they literally will pull the bumpers right off the car.

Kevin Goetz (09:57):

It, it was unbelievable.

Sharon Stone (09:58):

They'll rip 'em right off the car. They'll rip the license plates off the car, they'll climb on the car to the point where it's black inside. You can't see. And I've been in it where they have to call SWAT to get my car out from under the people. And I've been in it to the point where when I get in the building, my clothes are literally torn into shreds, just literally in pieces.

Kevin Goetz (10:20):

On this occasion, you and I got out of the car. I just remember the two of us were there and they cleared the red carpet for you. It was a Star Wars premiere. And George Lucas be damned. It was like, who? No, they, George left and then Sharon comes and they're chanting, Sharon, Sharon, Sharon, you beckoned me to come with you. And as we're walking on the red carpet, you pushed me forward. And you said pretty cool, huh? And you had taught me to, when you threw your head back to sort of smile as you do it because they'll get you in a smile as opposed to some. And I did it. And it was one of the most surreal, extraordinary moments of my entire life that I remember to this day. We went up those stairs and met every dignitary and so forth. And it was just amazing. And thank God we grounded ourselves because nobody, until they go through that can understand the power of people.

Sharon Stone (11:19):

Of the impact.

Kevin Goetz (11:19):

Wanting a piece of you or wanting to know why you're there, what you're about, et cetera. It was just extraordinary.

Sharon Stone (11:27):

It is big.

Kevin Goetz (11:28):

It was great.

Sharon Stone (11:29):

There are no stairs like those stairs.

Kevin Goetz (11:31):

Oh my God. Right. And you don't get tired of it. You've been there, I don't know how many dozen times.

Sharon Stone (11:37):

No, because I think it's from the deepest part of yourself. This is where you as an artist say to the public, this is me saying to you, I do. I love being an artist and I love being here for you. For you. It's the biggest moment where you are engaged with your people that you are making these films for where you get to walk up those stairs where you can actually see everybody.

Kevin Goetz (12:10):

And it's a sea of people.

Sharon Stone (12:12):

It's a sea. And they say, either we like you or we don't. And you say, I really appreciate it. 

Kevin Goetz (12:20):

Oh, beautifully said. I read a story that Sidney Poitier, when he would go to the Oscars, would be playing whatever he was playing ball or exercise, whatever, or just watching television. And he'd wait until the last possible moment before he jumped in the shower and got in his tuxedo. Yeah. And I've seen you prepare hours for the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes and the Emmys. And I've also seen you just turn it out so elegantly with almost no effort. And to me that's real beauty. We were on a yacht another time in Cannes and you were like, oh shoot, we gotta get to the red carpet. Right. And you popped into this fabulous mini dress, threw some heels on, did your own hair, your own makeup, and you were spectacular. And we had such a great time. I think we went right out the back and we went and got pizza, if I recall <laugh> afterwards.

Sharon Stone (13:14):

Yeah. Everybody always goes to a fancy party. And I always go to this pizza place and have pizza afterwards. Ah yeah.

Kevin Goetz (13:21):

Wow. Wow, wow, wow. Well, I have to say, I want to talk a little bit about some of the journey after the fame. You did have a couple of people who really did take you under their wing. Oh yes. And by the way, I wanna say, and you've been really good about this, you've done that with a lot of young folks. You've done that mentorship. Yes. Who were your mentors when you became famous to teach you about fame?

Sharon Stone (13:45):

I went to Book Soup and I bought a book called Fame the Unrequited. It's almost like a textbook on fame. And it was really helpful to me. It's more of a book you might study in college. It's more like a textbook type of book. And it really discusses fame, the fame of Jesus, for example, the different types of fame, what fame means. Oh I see. In the world. It's more of a treatise on fame itself. And that was very helpful for me to just look at it like there's fame. What is that thing that is fame? To look at it as its own Rubik's Cube. And I also read Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling, which was helpful to me personally, but that has to be whatever your deal is. But for me it was about faith is the question and faith is the answer. Hmm.

Sharon Stone (14:43):

For me, I wanted to look at fame objectively because when you get famous, it's like it, well as what Sly said to me is suddenly you're walking down the street and everybody's doing this and you don't know if they're going for the pen or the gun. Oh wow. And that's what becomes so unsettling because everybody's doing that. But you don't know why and you just feel constantly in this unsettled place that you always have to figure it out and you always have to fix it. And you always have to be ready. And you are always trying to figure out what everybody else's intentions are. And people want to blame famous people. I mean, there's all these famous people who are like, don't look them in the eyes. People don't want you to look them in the eyes. Which I think is a little too far <laugh>. But I understand why people do that 'cause they don't wanna have to figure everything out.

Kevin Goetz (15:41):

Weren't there people that really kind to you? Like Faye Dunaway?

Sharon Stone (15:44):

Faye was great to me. And Shirley MacLaine was great to me. And Dyan Cannon was great to me. Angie Dickinson was great to me. All these women were so great to me. Shirley had me out to her house in Malibu and really helped me help me so much. Because you gotta remember, she was the only girl in the rat pack. So she has survived this long. It don't matter when people say, oh, she's crazy because she believed in reincarnation. Well, I'm mostly difficult, but she was crazy. But she told me what was gonna happen, every single thing. And she told me what to do about every single thing, which was really, really great. And she told me what would happen. Mm. And she told me what people would say about me when I did what I would do, about what would happen. She told me everything. And so did Faye. And Faye told me, don't do what I did, which is be with a rock star and become a junkie. Don't do that. Absolutely not. You'll call me first. Don't do that. Because that's what happened to her. And that's why she became difficult to be around. And she had all these problems that she had to deal with. And Angie Dickinson was really kind to me.

Kevin Goetz (17:03):

Everyone loves Angie Dickinson. <laugh>.

Sharon Stone (17:04):

She's the freaking greatest. Yeah. And people really didn't know why. And Dyan Cannon said to me, it's not gonna be this way forever. Make sure you say please and thank you to everyone. Make sure you're really kind. Do this and this. Every movie I went on, I wrote thank you notes to every single member of the crew handwritten to 280, 300 people.

Kevin Goetz (17:27):

You, this is when you were a star and not even a producer.

Sharon Stone (17:31):

Star. Handwritten thank you notes to every single person on my cast and crew.

Kevin Goetz (17:35):

When did you start producing and what made you want to produce?

Sharon Stone (17:38):

I always wanted to produce and I wanted to direct. And even though I got production credits, I didn't get really respected as a producer because they would always love to come to me at any point. They didn't agree with something I wanted to do as a producer and say, it's just a vanity deal. And that's very, very tiring.

Kevin Goetz (17:56):

Like Harvey.

Sharon Stone (17:57):

Well, like everybody, it wasn't just Harvey. I mean Harvey is a case separate and unique. I had a production deal with him, but Harvey wasn't gonna produce anything with me 'cause let's face it, I wasn't producing what Harvey had hoped for. And so ultimately at the end of our production deal, he let me produce a children's movie. The book was called Freak the Mighty. The movie was called The Mighty. Rob Reiner's daughter wrote it.

Kevin Goetz (18:23):

Was the Mighty with Gena Rolands Yes. It was wonderful.

Sharon Stone (18:26):

Yes. I cast her. And I cast Harry Dean Stanton because I got to pick who I cast.

Kevin Goetz (18:32):

Well hold on one second.

Sharon Stone (18:34):

And because I knew her and because she'd been so amazing with me over Gloria, I was like, let's cast Gena Rowlands and let’s cast Harry Dean. And so I called Harry and said, will you do it? And he said, I don't like to read scripts. You tell me honestly Sharon, should I do it or not? Oh. And I said, I'm gonna get Gena to do it. So if she does it, I really do think you should do it.

Kevin Goetz (18:58):

That was a great answer by the way 'cause that way it's sort of like it's showing the stamp of excellence. Yes. By getting someone so, so good. So great. Yeah. Yes, exactly. So you have a nose, I'm gonna say it. Say it here.

Sharon Stone (19:11):

For talent. I do.

Kevin Goetz (19:13):

Hold on. We'll be back in a moment.

Announcer (19:18):

Get a glimpse into a secret part of Hollywood that few are aware of and that filmmakers rarely talk about in the new book Audienceology by Kevin Goetz. Each chapter is filled with never-before-revealed inside stories and interviews from famous studio chiefs, directors, producers, and movie stars, bringing the art and science of audienceology into focus. Audienceology, How Moviegoers Shape the Films We Love, from Tiller Press at Simon and Schuster. Available now.

Kevin Goetz (19:50):

We're back with my dear friend Sharon Stone. Sharon, let's go to Quick and the Dead.

Sharon Stone (19:55):

Well yeah, Leo and Russell.

Kevin Goetz (19:58):

Leonardo DiCaprio hadn’t done anything yet.

Sharon Stone (20:01):

He did Gilbert Grape.

Kevin Goetz (20:04):

And didn't you have to almost give up some of your own salary to have him or something like that?

Sharon Stone (20:08):

Well, what happened is that Mike Medavoy, I wanted Russell Crowe and they had…

Kevin Goetz (20:14):

Russell wasn't Russell Crowe.

Sharon Stone (20:15):

No one knew Russell at all. Russell had done a movie in Australia called Romper Stomper.

Kevin Goetz (20:20):

Which was so good.

Sharon Stone (20:21):

Yes. But I watch everything. I see everything everywhere all the time. And I said that he's our next Richard Burton. He's gonna be unbelievable. He's very good. And, and this is how I always felt about Ken Watanabe. I knew Ken was a very big star. I bet an agent that he would get nominated for an Oscar for the film he did with Tom Cruise. I bet her a grand. And she was like, yeah, I'll take that bet. And then of course he got nominated and she didn't wanna pay because she was like, I don't have a thousand dollars. I'm like, well then you shouldn't have made the bet <laugh> lady. You know? 'cause I pay up. Yeah. 'cause people, you know, they wanna say and do a lot of things, but people don't really get it. But I really believed in these actors. I really believe in Ken. And of course Ken's unbelievable on Tokyo Vice. I mean, I knew it. I always knew it. Just like I knew it about Russell. I knew it when I laid eyes on Leo. I've seen another actor recently and I know it about this guy and I.

Kevin Goetz (21:19):

But there was no money for him or something like wasn't there?

Sharon Stone (21:21):

Well what they, because they had to push two weeks to get Russell because Russell was on another film in Australia.

Kevin Goetz (21:28):

And they were gonna lose Leo.

Sharon Stone (21:29):

No, they didn't wanna pay Leo 'cause Leo would've been a million dollars 'cause you know, men get, make a lot more even when they're new.

Kevin Goetz (21:37):

So, and he must've been 16 years old or something.

Sharon Stone (21:39):

He was 17. He turned 18 on our show. And Kelly and I took him go-kart racing. Oh. So what I said is, if you'll push for Russell, Mike, I'll pay Leo outta my own salary.

Kevin Goetz (21:55):

Oh wow.

Sharon Stone (21:56):

So that's what we did.

Kevin Goetz (21:57):

That’s commitment. That's commitment. And it's also a producer. Somebody told me…

Sharon Stone (22:02):

'cause I'm committed to the work.

Kevin Goetz (22:04):

Somebody just told me, what's the definition of a producer? Six words they described. And I'm gonna screw it up, but let's see if I can do it. They said, take the shit, get it done. I think that was it. And that's what a producer is.

Sharon Stone (22:15):

That is it.

Kevin Goetz (22:16):

I mean it's just, and it's all about the work. Yes. The famous Italian actress said a quote that I have in my closet. It says the work, the work, the work. Yeah. And I always think of that whenever I get a little full of myself. Well, it's not happen much when I was younger, maybe more so now I'm tickled and I'm humored by things. I have a much different perspective, you know? Yeah. When things come my way. But especially as a young actor coming up, it was always about focus on the right thing. So it's so, it's such a great lesson to, to impart in this podcast.

Sharon Stone (22:53):

That is the only thing. Yeah. All the rest of this malarkey.

Kevin Goetz (22:58):

Illusion and icing.

Sharon Stone (23:00):

And ego. Ego. Ego and lazy, lazy, lazy. There's so much lazy, so much like just waiting for somebody to do your part.

Kevin Goetz (23:12):

Yeah.

Sharon Stone (23:13):

Oh.

Kevin Goetz (23:14):

So you produce that. Did you produce other stuff or was it just too difficult to do?

Sharon Stone (23:19):

No, I've done lots of other things.

Kevin Goetz (23:22):

Did you actually have a hands-on, on that movie? You did really? Everything from casting.

Sharon Stone (23:26):

<laugh>? Yeah. I've been brought in by studios on casting sessions to help them choose people for films over the years.

Kevin Goetz (23:34):

Other people know that you have a nose for it. Yes. Do you know what you're good at? I know you know it, but you never really have done it. You must direct.

Sharon Stone (23:43):

Well, you know, I wanted to, but they wouldn't let me.

Kevin Goetz (23:46):

Who wouldn't let you?

Sharon Stone (23:48):

I went to the studio.

Kevin Goetz (23:49):

I know, but f em.

Sharon Stone (23:50):

Relentlessly. Let's get it done. And they wouldn't gimme a budget to direct.

Kevin Goetz (23:52):

Let's get it done.

Sharon Stone (23:54):

I think it's time for me to do a series. And I think if I do a series, I'll certainly direct.

Kevin Goetz (24:00):

That’s interesting.

Sharon Stone (24:01):

Within whe series that I do. Yeah. That, yeah, I think so.

Kevin Goetz (24:03):

You would you wanna create it as well?

Sharon Stone (24:05):

I have a treatment for a pilot that I've written that I think is really quite great.

Kevin Goetz (24:09):

Oh good.

Sharon Stone (24:10):

Yeah. A three-camera comedy.

Kevin Goetz (24:12):

Oh, a three-camera comedy. That just stopped me.

Sharon Stone (24:16):

Yeah. Because I think the live audience, three-camera comedy is something we really need again.

Kevin Goetz (24:21):

You know, I don't know if you remember you did this little thing, this little nothing reading at the LA Library.

Sharon Stone (24:27):

Oh, I've done a few of this. I love those.

Kevin Goetz (24:30):

I think it was with Jimmy Woods and you were so spectacular. And I said to Neil, I turned to Neil and I said, she's gotta do Broadway. This was like crazy.

Sharon Stone (24:38):

Oh we did. We had the greatest.

Kevin Goetz (24:40):

I mean, but you really had the sense of the stage and you really didn't come from the stage. No. And yet you had it. Yeah.

Sharon Stone (24:46):

I thought we did The Diary of Adam and Eve of Mark Twain.

Kevin Goetz (24:49):

It was, that was really,

Sharon Stone (24:50):

It was great. 

Kevin Goetz (24:52):

Really great. Yeah. Really great. You are painting now. Yeah. Which I'm very aware of. I happen to be the proud owner of five pieces. <laugh>. And they're magnificent. And you just finished a very successful show, I know in the Bay Area. You have another show opening very soon.

Sharon Stone (25:10):

I have a show in Berlin right now.

Kevin Goetz (25:12):

Is it still running in Berlin?

Sharon Stone (25:13):

Yeah, through July.

Kevin Goetz (25:15):

Where's the next?

Sharon Stone (25:15):

Maybe Korea and I have a show in Vienna next year.

Kevin Goetz (25:21):

Wow. Are you creating all new stuff for it or is it gonna be stuff that…

Sharon Stone (25:25):

All new, I think all new.

Kevin Goetz (25:27):

What turned you on to painting? What brought you into that chapter?

Sharon Stone (25:29):

I always painted, you know, my Aunt Vonne had two masters. One of her masters was in painting.

Kevin Goetz (25:35):

I wish I knew her. She sounded like Auntie Maime.

Sharon Stone (25:38):

Very much so. You know, she was a great beauty.

Kevin Goetz (25:41):

Stunning in those pictures.

Sharon Stone (25:42):

Even in her youth. Even in these small towns in Pennsylvania. Men landed in helicopters in my grandmother's backyard to get a look at my aunt. She was so gorgeous. She was so beautiful. She had long black hair and like, just stunning and brilliant. Of course she skied, like unbelievable skier, you know, great athlete, great golfer. Two master's degrees. Had this amazing flare about herself. I mean, who does that? She had a master's in English Lit and a master's in painting. And was this…

Kevin Goetz (26:22):

She got you.

Sharon Stone (26:24):

Well, we just got each other.

Kevin Goetz (26:25):

That's what I mean, you know.

Sharon Stone (26:26):

Right. We really…

Kevin Goetz (26:28):

I know you appreciated her, but she really appreciated you.

Sharon Stone (26:30):

Oh yeah. Even when I was in college, she would come and stay with me in my dorm room. And honest to God, you know, like I've never been much of a drinker. But she was <laugh> and she took me out when I was in college and we got drunk, which was for me like kind of a lot. And I remember in the morning I woke up and I was like, oh my God. And she was in the other bed in the dorm room and she took out her purse and she had a flask in her purse. And she took a little bit outta the flask and put it back in her purse and slid her purse across my dorm room floor and said, have some, it's a hair of the dog.

Kevin Goetz (27:10):

It's the hair of the dog. It's, or I was gonna say almost like the prairie oyster or that…

Sharon Stone (27:14):

<laugh>. Yeah. She goes, hair of the dog and then we'll go get something to eat. And I was like, wow.

Kevin Goetz (27:19):

You used your fame in, in a lot of great ways. Philanthropically, you have been the head of amfAR that took over for Elizabeth Taylor. Did you learn that from mom, dad? Both of them? Like, it was always about giving. Mom. Wow. Tell me about that.

Sharon Stone (27:36):

Well, you know, as I said, we grew up in very modest environment. And my mother's very dear friend Betty lived, you know, half a mile away and had eight kids and zero money. And they were such a happy family and such a chaotic family. Everybody running up and down the stairs. A house was just a tumble. And my mom, we would always do, for Christmas and Thanksgiving, we would do the Thanksgiving turkey, the Christmas ham, all the fixings for the whole family. And gifts for the whole family. And then leave it secretly on their porch. And we'd drive, stop the car like a block ish, what would be about the block ish of a street away and then coast and then jump outta the car and quietly put it on their steps. And I mean, that was just something we always did. And then like when my mom and dad were going to someone's house for dinner, my mother, I so distinctly remember her putting a wet washcloth in a Ziploc bag and putting it in her purse and putting scissors in her purse and tape.

Sharon Stone (28:53):

And in the newspaper, she would put the newspaper open in the trunk of the car. And then my dad would drive until they drove past a field with flowers in it. And then my mother would walk barefoot into the field and cut armloads of flowers and put them in this newspaper in the trunk. And then my dad would roll it up and my mother would then put ribbon around it. And then my mother would sit down in the front seat of the car. And then my dad would wash her feet with the wet washcloth that she had in her bag. And then they would take this big thing of flowers wrapped in newspaper to whoever's house they were going to for dinner.

Kevin Goetz (29:34):

Oh man. You know, I remember your sister Kelly, who happens to also be one of our dearest friends, shares your heart and the two of you, multiple Christmas Eves going downtown and throwing…

Sharon Stone (29:48):

Downtown.

Kevin Goetz (29:49):

Downtown.

Sharon Stone (29:50):

Downtown <laugh>

Kevin Goetz (29:51):

And throwing sleeping bags out to the homeless folks. Yeah. On Skid Row.

Sharon Stone (29:58):

Yeah. That's…

Kevin Goetz (29:59):

You did that many years.

Sharon Stone (30:00):

Yeah.

Kevin Goetz (30:01):

And you had Planet Hope.

Sharon Stone (30:02):

We started that with Planet Hope, which is a charity that my sister and I started for homeless mothers and their children. And we did a thing for God over 20 years where we got people, friends and businesses to give us money. And we bought sleeping bags by the score so we could get them in discount. And we got cube trucks and then we would get a couple of guys from the Raiders to ride in the back of the trucks with us because they were, had such great throwing arms. And so we would go through all downtown Los Angeles and then we would throw the bags to all the homeless people. Wow. And the Raiders were amazing because there'd be some homeless people that really couldn't get up from their tent city.

Kevin Goetz (30:53):

Right near.

Sharon Stone (30:53):

And we'd go like, I would do the yelling, like I'd whistle and go heads up, heads up, look alive. And then the guy would throw the bag and the bag would land like right at their feet, like boom. And we'd be like, Merry Christmas. And we did it on Christmas Eve. And my dad of course would come with us and my brothers and my younger brother Pat, who passed away last year, he and I would do the AIDS Street because everyone else was too afraid to go in 'cause there's a street in downtown Los Angeles that's chainlinked off where all the people with AIDS live, who don't have AIDS medication, who are living untreated with aids.

Kevin Goetz (31:33):

Why did AIDS have such a meaning for you? I mean, that I knew you have such compassion for so many things. Drilling wells in Africa. Malaria.

Sharon Stone (31:41):

Well, the wells. The wells were about AIDS also because it turned out that these pregnant women in Africa would take the antiretroviral medication, but then they would have a baby that was AIDS free. They would have hiv aids, they'd have an AIDS free baby. But if they gave it the breast milk, the baby would get aids. And it was either that or the filthy malaria-ridden water. Yeah. So I started to realize getting the law passed that they had to take the antiretroviral drugs wasn't enough. I had to go and then put in clean water wells. It was a terrible Sophie's choice. You're gonna give them malaria or HIV. So I went to start putting in water wells in these third world environments so that the babies could have clean water with their breast milk 'cause it was so awful.

Kevin Goetz (32:36):

What was it about aids? Was it because of your upbringing as a young model and seeing so many of your friends die?

Sharon Stone (32:42):

Well, I was in Cannes and Elizabeth couldn't come to do her HIV thing. She'd been three years into the HIV thing and she couldn't come. And they said, could you take her place? And I was panic-stricken. Like what young actress wants to step into some big movie star's shoes on HIV when nobody, it was, nobody did charity then. 

Kevin Goetz (33:15):

I bet all of your representatives were like, don't do it.

Sharon Stone (33:17):

They said no. Everybody said no, don't do it. Right, right. Except Cindi Berger and Cindi Berger, who got hives at the slightest mention of pressure of any kind. Her higher entire neck was covered with hives. And she said, you know, this is gonna ruin your career. And I said, I know, but I wanna do it. And she said, if you don't do it, I'm never gonna talk to you again. <laugh>. And I said, does that mean you're gonna do it for free? Because I can't pay you additionally to do this PR on this. And she said, I'm gonna do it for free. Wow. And so we agreed to do it. And even Andy Vajna said, you, you look like Zsa Zsa Gabor. Nobody thinks that this is a good idea. Don't do this. You look stupid. And I took…

Kevin Goetz (34:09)

I thought it raised your profile tremendously,

Sharon Stone (34:11):

But nobody else, I mean really. I got, it was brutal. And my career, it was terrible for me. But it was good for me as a human.

Kevin Goetz (34:21):

Any regrets? I was just gonna…

Sharon Stone (34:23):

Zero. I mean, there's so many things that I haven't done that haven't been good for my career, but they've been very good for me. And they've been good for my mental health and they've been good for me as a parent. And they've been a good example for my son who's going into the business. They've been right for me. And I'm okay that people wanna say that I'm difficult or they wanna say I am a diva or whatever. But like SAG can pull every single one of my work records. I'm on time. I know my lines.

Kevin Goetz (34:56):

You are. You do, baby. I gotta tell you. You do.

Sharon Stone (34:58):

There's no trouble getting me outta the makeup trailer. Never. And Marty Scorsese said to me, I've had actresses I can't get out of the trailer. I never had one I couldn't get in the trailer until I met you. 

Kevin Goetz (35:10):

You, you were up his toukas. You wanted to learn everything you could from it.

Sharon Stone (35:12):

Right. And I had someone get me a school desk that has the desk attached to the chair. Oh. And I put that outside of the set. And I never went back to my trailer because I'm not that person. And no director I've ever worked with will tell you I'm difficult. It's only people who haven't worked with me that will say I'm difficult.

Kevin Goetz (35:35):

Last question here, because we could talk for six more hours and I need to let you go because you've been so generous so far with your time. I wanna ask you, you've received so many accolades, so many awards, and I got to go to many of those dinners. Yeah. And many of those acceptance speeches, most recently you were awarded the UN Citizen of the Year. 

Sharon Stone (35:58):

I mean, we haven't talked about your recent award, which I didn't get to go to, which was the greatest thing that ever happened.

Kevin Goetz (36:05):

Thank you.

Sharon Stone (36:06):

You getting this award.

Kevin Goetz (36:08):

American Cinemateque.

Sharon Stone (36:09):

And people saying these things about you and getting to watch you build your career and watching the naysayers say, no, you can't do that. No, Kevin, you're not gonna do that. Not only you can't do that, but we're not gonna let you do that. And we're gonna crush you and we're not gonna allow you to be that. And then to watch you become the only person who does that, and the most important person who does that has been so thrilling for me. Wow. So thrilling.

Kevin Goetz (36:38):

Well, thank you so much. By the way, you were in the tribute reel, which I know you got to see recently. And you were so wonderfully well, emotional and supportive.

Sharon Stone (36:48):

Well, I know what it cost. I know what it took. Mm. I know every step of what it took. Mm. And you and I are probably the only people who know of each other's life what it costs and what it takes to be in the business and to survive in the business and to have people, well, like you said, people will call you an asshole. Right. I saw a wonderful quote the other day that said, we're here to get life's lessons. You get all the joyful lessons from your friends and you get all the hard lessons from people we call assholes.

Kevin Goetz (37:24):

Oh, that's marvelous. 

Sharon Stone (37:26):

Right. So sometimes I feel really okay about being an asshole.

Kevin Goetz (37:30):

So you have, as I said, been honored. So was there one particular award, a particular recognition that just is above the rest?

Sharon Stone (37:44):

I think the best time I ever had getting an award was when I got an award at the Peninsula, and Ronan and Laird and Quinn gave it to me. And it was from the Women's Health Award. And the kids came and gave it to me. And each one of them stepped up…

Kevin Goetz (38:03):

And said something?

Sharon Stone (38:04):

And said something. And they were pretty young at the time. 16, 10, and 11. Great. And it was so wonderful and adorable and fun and great.

Kevin Goetz (38:16):

Well that tells me who you are. Well, I know who you are, but it tells our listeners who you are 'cause I was certain you were gonna say the Nobel Laureates Prize.

Sharon Stone (38:26):

Well that was great because but you know.

Kevin Goetz (38:30):

The fact that you up the kids.

Sharon Stone (38:30):

Then I got to party with everybody that had won a Nobel Prize. And I have to say, I've done that a few times 'cause I got to host the Nobel Prize concert and I've, and get to know the Nobel Prize winners that have now become my friends and colleagues. And to party with them and hang out with them is really like, that's the room. You wanna know a room? That's the room.

Kevin Goetz (38:53):

Oh, that's the room.

Sharon Stone (38:54):

That's the room.

Kevin Goetz (38:55):

The room where it happened. The room where it happened from Hamilton.

Sharon Stone (38:59):

It really is the room where it happens.

Kevin Goetz (39:01):

You know, it's funny, I've never asked you, but I know your biggest accomplishment were your children.

Sharon Stone (39:08):

Oh yeah.

Kevin Goetz (39:09):

I know that.

Sharon Stone (39:10):

Oh yeah. And it's always a work in progress because the teacher is the student. Right. So you're always working with them and the work you do with them, you're expanding and you're learning and you're growing and you have to let go and give a lot to be a good parent. You're not making your kids to be like you. They're here to bring a lot for you to expand and understand. And it's an endless process of growth and development being a parent's very exciting.

Kevin Goetz (39:41):

Well, I got to have some sense of what that felt like because you, you sure do. Because of you, I have been fortunate enough to step into a parental role when those kids were growing up. 

Sharon Stone (39:54):

You sure have. You gave me that kid. I mean, the kids coming to your house for breakfast on their way to school.

Kevin Goetz (40:00):

They had their own room, their own drawers in our house. Exactly. It's, you know how you know you're in someone's life. I taught the kids how to ride their bike. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative> and their car.

Sharon Stone (40:08):

Right, <laugh>. Exactly.

Kevin Goetz (40:10):

Exactly. And now being so close with Rowan and, and he's doing so well and working at Screen Engine and starting his career and it's absolutely great.

Sharon Stone (40:18):

Isn't it?

Kevin Goetz (40:19):

In the business. It's just so fantastic. So it's, so it's everything isn't.

Sharon Stone (40:23):

It has been such an amazing journey and that we get to watch each other. I know. And see each other's development. And it's also really funny 'cause people in the business don't even know we know each other.

Kevin Goetz (40:37):

I think some do because they…

Sharon Stone (40:39):

Yeah, a little bit.

Kevin Goetz (40:39):

Do you know how many times people say to me, can you just hand Sharon a script? And I say, and listeners hear me, <laugh>, I don't mix business. Yeah. And, and our family life. No, no. I just don’t do it.

Sharon Stone (40:54):

And I would never use you for work.

Kevin Goetz (40:56):

And we don't do that. No, we have always, but you know, we've always been that way. 

Sharon Stone (41:00):

Everybody knows how to call an agent.

Kevin Goetz (41:03):

Yeah, yeah. But I'm saying we've always been so authentic with each other and you, if I've had some real places that I needed some advice that only somebody of your stature could offer, I'd come to you. Because a lot of people can't give you advice on certain business issues.

Sharon Stone (41:19):

Well, a lot of people won't either. Yeah.

Kevin Goetz (41:22):

Well, how much do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Sharon, what can I say? Love you. I love you more. To our listeners, I hope you enjoyed our interview. I encourage you to follow Sharon on her social media at Sharon Stone and to check out her incredible artwork. For more filmmaking and audience testing stories, I invite you to check out my book, Audienceology, at Amazon or through my website at KevinGoetz360.com. You can also follow me on my social media. Next time on Don't Kill the Messenger, I'll welcome veteran studio executive, film and TV producer, bestselling author, and motivational speaker, Devon Franklin. Until then, I'm Kevin Goetz, and to you, our listeners, I appreciate you being part of the movie-making process. Your opinions matter.

Host: Kevin Goetz
Guest: Sharon Stone
Producer: Kari Campano
Writers: Kevin Goetz, Darlene Hayman, and Kari Campano
Audio Engineer:  Gary Forbes (DG Entertainment)