When criticizing Hollywood's treatment of women, the 'Basic Instinct' star raises an issue about how the industry never acknowledges that other actresses are as good as Meryl.
- Jun 23, 2021
AceShowbiz - Sharon Stone has stirred an online debate with her comments on Meryl Streep. While she has no personal issue with the 3-time Academy Award winner, the Oscar-nominated actress has criticized Hollywood's treatment that never acknowledges other women are as good as Meryl.
Sharon made the comments during a Zoomer interview to promote her memoir "The Beauty of Living Twice" last month, but it only picked up a storm on Tuesday, June 22. During the sit-down, the interviewer cited a line the "Basic Instinct" wrote in the book which read, "It was put to us that there could be room for only one."
The reporter then was about to ask her to elaborate on it, "So when you finally got to work with Meryl Streep, you realized...," but Sharon cut her off and took issue with the question's wording. "I like the way you phrase that, that I finally got to work with Meryl Streep," the "Ratched" actress pointed out. "You didn't say, 'Meryl finally got to work with Sharon Stone.' Or we finally got to work together."
"The way you structured the question is very much the answer to the question," the 63-year-old then went straight to the point. "The business was set up that we should all envy and admire Meryl because only Meryl got to be the good one. And everyone should compete against Meryl."
Not underestimating Meryl, she noted, "I think Meryl is an amazingly wonderful woman and actress. But in my opinion, quite frankly, there are other actresses equally as talented as Meryl Streep. The whole Meryl Streep iconography is part of what Hollywood does to women."
Sharon then mentioned other actresses whom she believes should also be in the same category as Meryl. "Viola Davis is every bit the actress Meryl Streep is," she claimed. "Emma Thompson. Judy Davis. Olivia Colman. Kate Winslet, for f**k's sake. But you say Meryl, and everybody falls on the floor."
Seemingly trying to prove that they're good in different way, Sharon argued, "I'm a much better villain than Meryl, and I'm sure she'd say so. Meryl was not gonna be good in 'Basic Instinct' or in 'Casino'. I would be better. And I know it. And she knows it. But we're all set up to think that only Meryl is so amazing that when you say her name it must have been amazing for me to work with her."
She continued using Meryl when criticizing Hollywood for sorting women into types. "We all have to sit in our assigned seats," she elaborated. "Are you kidding me? If we worked in a supermarket, she can't always be the No. 1 checkout girl. We're all doing our jobs. Everybody gets to get better, and everybody gets to sometimes have that not great a day. Even … Meryl."
Sharon also mentioned the 72-year-old actress' name when addressing the #MeToo movement. Believing that things haven't changed much, she said, "Harassment is everywhere. Until there are real laws, #MeToo was just the opening sentence." She then brought up Meryl, "I'm sure Meryl has a story. But I'm also sure if Meryl told you her story, she wouldn't be being Meryl, and she wouldn't be getting those jobs. Meryl can't be the envelope pusher. Because then she wouldn't get the jobs. Meryl's a smoother. That's what she does."
Twitter users have since shared their two cents on the matter. Disagreeing with Sharon, one person wrote, "I like Sharon Stone, but she is not on Meryl Streep's level. Meryl and Viola? Same level. Meryl and Sharon? Nah. Viola Davis and Sharon Stone? Sharon's not even close. Kate Winslet and Sharon? Not even on Sharon's best day."
Some others got Sharon's point. "I remember the days when they used to disrespect Viola Davis by describing her as the 'Black Meryl Streep.' So, I say keep talking Sharon Stone," someone supported the "Cold Steel" actress' statements.
Sharing the same opinion, a third one wrote, "Meryl Streep is a near-perfect actress. But the likes of Glenn Close, Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Rooney Mara, Brie Larson, Emily Blunt, Viola Davis, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Kerry Washington and Regina King are just as great on their best day. Sharon Stone is 100% right."
Another added, "Just catching up in the Sharon Stone thing. Anyway, she's right. Meryl is fantastic, but Hollywood has often used 'there's nobody like Meryl' as an excuse to deny equally talented actresses opportunities, especially as they age and/or if they aren't white."
Someone else pointed out, "I love Sharon Stone & I love Meryl Streep. I think our attention should be on calling out studios, writers, & filmmakers who fail to create enough engaging, challenging, & complex roles for the abundance of iconic actors 'over a certain age' that exist."
