Sharon Stone delivered a classily scathing retort onstage to fellow guests at an award ceremony after being accused of stealing a seat when they didn’t recognise who she was.
Hollywood icon Stone, 67, was hailed a ‘bad ass’ for enjoying some tasty revenge and calling out their rudeness when she went up to collect a prize honouring her contribution to cinema and glittering career.
Video clips of the moment during the Astra Awards ceremony on January 9 in Los Angeles have been doing the rounds on social media, which showed the Basic Instinct star kicking off her speech by putting the unnamed guests on blast.
After being introduced and accepting her Astra Timeless Award, Stone took to the microphone and began: ‘And to the kids at my table who wondered, “Who the f**k took that chair?” Now you know.’
As the audience reacted with laughs, she added: ‘Yeah, someone came over and said, “Who are you and why are you sitting here?”’
To gasps which turned to claps, she continued: ‘As she said, “F**k you!”’
The Total Recall actress then switched tactics, calling on her tablemates – who remained unidentified – to put their status to work in doing good for the world.
‘More importantly, and more to the point, I’d like to say welcome to you. And I’d like to say, this is an opportunity. Because I started my activism work when my fame kicked in. And I’d like to give you an opportunity to start your activism work now that your consciousness has kicked in.’
Stone added in observation: ‘Because fame without awareness, success without purpose, is pointless.’
In her wide-ranging acceptance speech, she also moved on to highlight the tenacity she had as a young actress, pursuing the work that she knew was right for her.
She told the crowd that while she ‘wasn’t the first person they offered Basic Instinct to’ in 1992, the role opposite Michael Douglas that launched her career into the stratosphere, she was ‘the person who got her manager to break into the office and get her the script, and I was the person who was prepared because I had the script for eight months, and I was the person who got her manager to call every single f***ing day, because I wanted that part’.
Stone, who claimed last year she was removed from her role on Another Simple Favour ‘for no reason’, pressed: ‘When you want something, as an artist, you should go and get it, because you know what’s meant for you, and you know where you can fit and where you can make a change with your art.’
When she wrapped up her time on stage, the star couldn’t resist returning to the earlier kerfuffle, quipping: ‘Carry home someone you’re proud of, then you too will be timeless, whether the people at your table know who you are or not.
‘Here’s what I’m going to tell you: You know who I am now.’
Fans praised her poise during the moment with Lisa Rogers posting in the comments: ‘Now that’s what class looks like! Excellent speech!’
‘Get ’em, girl! Rip ’em up!’ joked another fan, while many others indicated their shock over the lack of recognition and being keen to discover ‘who the rude youngsters are’.
Stone is next due to appear in upcoming comedy film In Memoriam opposite Marc Maron, Judy Greer and Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone, which sees an ageing actor facing a terminal cancer diagnosis obsess over appearing in the In Memoriam category at the Academy Awards.
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