“It couldn’t have happened at a better time”: the role that saved Sharon Stone’s career
After rising to fame with the erotic thriller Total Recall, Sharon Stone quickly became a sex symbol of the 1990s, starring alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Douglas and Robert De Niro in some of the steamiest films of the time. After being nominated for a Golden Globe for Basic Instinct and also working with regular collaborator Paul Verhoeven, Stone then found a part in a more daring project and has since reflected on its importance within her career.
Casino, directed by the great Martin Scorsese in 1995, follows a man called Ace who struggles to manage a casino with the complications created by his relationship with his wife and friends, Ginger and Nicky. The film is emblematic of Scorsese’s style: a classic, old-school gangster picture that is constantly getting into trouble, showing the corporate criminal and critiquing the glitz and grime of new-age capitalism. It has the same quick wit as Goodfellas but with an added layer of lightness and humour, with a poppy soundtrack and voiceover that creates a unique addition to Scorsese’s universe (it’s his world; we’re all just living in it).
Sharon Stone plays an ex-hustler who inadvertently causes problems through her relationship with Lester Diamond, another con artist. However, when reading the script, her character was seen as somewhat controversial, with her agents warning her against taking the role. But despite the taboo aspects of the story, the film swept during the awards season and revitalised Stone’s career, coming four years after her break-out performance in Basic Instinct.
When asked about the critical response to Casino and the impact this film had on her career, Stone said, “Thank God. I mean just finally, wow. I am not getting any younger. It couldn’t have happened at a better time”.
When auditioning for the part, she was urged to stay away from the movie and warned: “This woman is so unsympathetic. She ties her kid to the bed, gets loaded and does coke… Sharon, we don’t think you should go there”.
But despite the well-intentioned words of warning, it was this very role that took Stone’s career to new heights, saying that before this project, she struggled to find roles that could help her realise her full potential. She was often typecasted as the conventionally sexy woman with no lines or personality, written in as eye candy or the seductress.
But after working with Scorsese and De Niro, Stone said she was able to unleash her creativity and fully expand this character, and she was encouraged to let go and see what happened. The film was met with critical acclaim, and Stone was nominated for the Academy Award for ‘Best Actress’ during the Oscars that year.
Since Casino, Stone has worked on a number of projects, from The Disaster Artist to Running Wild, and is set to star in Nobody 2 alongside Bob Odenkirk in 2025, following on from the success of the first film, which was released in 2021. Surprisingly enough, the film shares some commonalities with Casino, about a suburban dad who suddenly finds himself involved in a world of gangsters and crime. Who knows what Stone’s role will be, but perhaps she will reclaim the image that she became famous for.
