Michael Douglas Recalls Sharon Stone's Rash After Explicit 'Basic Instinct' Scene
The actor detailed the incident in his new memoir, sharing his regret over the discomfort caused to his co-star.
Michael Douglas has shared a behind-the-scenes detail from the filming of the 1992 erotic thriller Basic Instinct, recounting how an explicit sex scene left co-star Sharon Stone with a rash.
In his new memoir, 'One Helluva Ride,' Douglas, 82, revealed that he and Stone had agreed not to use body doubles for the intimate scenes. He described one particular scene, which took five days to shoot, where Stone eventually removed a modesty patch, stating, "Let's stop pretending. I'm nude, we all know it. Let's go."
During the filming of the scene, where their characters engaged in passionate lovemaking, Stone complained that Douglas's stubble was causing her discomfort. Douglas clarified that they were not actually intimate during the scene, but acknowledged that his character's actions required him to get close to sensitive areas.
"After a couple of takes Sharon said, 'Please go easy. Your stubble is really scratching me!'" Douglas wrote. He then noticed that Stone's upper thighs were "completely red and chafed" and expressed that he felt "horrible" about the situation.
Douglas prepared for the role by losing 25 pounds but drew the line at full frontal nudity, a choice Stone did not make for her now-iconic police interrogation scene. In that scene, Stone famously crossed and uncrossed her legs while wearing a short dress and no underwear.
Reflecting on that moment years later, Stone commented that it seemed scandalous at the time but is now ordinary, attributing the shift to more women participating in filmmaking. However, she has also maintained that she felt "tricked" into exposing herself, detailing in her memoir 'The Beauty of Living Twice' how she confronted director Paul Verhoeven after discovering her crotch was visible in the interrogation scene, despite his alleged assurances that it would not be.
Verhoeven has disputed Stone's account, stating that any actress would know what to expect when asked to remove underwear for a scene. Basic Instinct, despite its controversy, was a box office success and propelled both Douglas and Stone to greater stardom.