Sharon Stone Put Owning Her Costumes into Her Contracts After ‘Degrading’ Moment Her Underwear Was Auctioned Off

In a candid interview published on 17 September by Variety, actress Sharon Stone revealed the reasons behind her longstanding contractual stipulation that she retains ownership of her costumes. This provision has been part of her agreements since the 1980s, and she discussed it as both a matter of personal dignity and professional autonomy.

Stone, now 68, elaborated on her decision during the chat, recalling a particularly humiliating incident from her time working on an episodic television series. She recounted walking outside and discovering her underwear and bras laid out for sale on a plastic table. This degrading experience motivated her to ensure that her costumes were included in all her future contracts. “I was so embarrassed,” she said. “This is just so degrading to me as a woman.”

The actress reflected on the industry’s perception when she first pushed for this clause in her contracts. At the time, colleagues joked about her insistence, questioning whether she was “some kind of hoarder.” Stone explained that her motivation was twofold. Besides wanting to maintain a sense of dignity, she pointed out that women in Hollywood rarely received fair compensation. “Women didn’t get paid in the business,” she asserted, highlighting a persistent issue faced by female performers.

Stone’s determination led her to instruct her manager to include this clause in her agreements, a request he initially dismissed as unusual. “He said, ‘That is the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard,’” she recounted, but she remained resolute. “I just don’t want them auctioning off my underwear anymore,” she declared, explaining that she would manage the garments as she saw fit—whether burning them or donating them—but she refused to allow them to be sold off.

In addition to her own experiences, Stone credited her late friend Carrie Fisher and Fisher’s mother, Debbie Reynolds, for teaching her the significance of enforcing such clauses. She recalled encounters with studios that still expressed resistance to her demands, to which she responded with the factual assertion, “Well, guess what? Carrie did, and so did Debbie, and so do I.”

Stone also reminisced about the costumes from her iconic role in the 1995 film *Casino*, where she portrayed Ginger McKenna, a character entwined in the world of Las Vegas gambling alongside co-stars Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. In recalling her favourite outfits, she mentioned the memorable wedding scene in particular. The film remains a landmark in her career and underscored the importance of wardrobe, which had a budget of around $1 million.

The actress has been vocal in the past about the financial inequalities facing actresses in Hollywood. In a 2022 Instagram post, she even encouraged her children to consider auctioning off her costumes to help remedy the disparity she experienced in her own career. This reflects her desire not only to reclaim control over her image but also to educate the younger generation about the realities of Hollywood.

Over the years, Stone’s career has seen both triumphs and challenges, including a significant health scare in 2001 when she suffered a stroke that required her to rebuild her career from the ground up. She acknowledged the arduous journey back to the screen, explaining, “I lost my place in the business and had to start from the bottom all over again.”

In 2023, Stone marked her return to the industry with roles in *In Memoriam* and *Babies*, while also appearing in several episodes of the acclaimed series *Euphoria*. Her commitment to both her craft and personal integrity remains evident, as she encourages others to be vigilant and assertive in protecting their rights within the industry.

Overall, Sharon Stone’s insights serve as a reminder of the challenges women face in Hollywood while highlighting the importance of standing one’s ground in an often unforgiving industry. Her story continues to inspire others to advocate for themselves and assert ownership over their work, ensuring dignity and respect in every aspect of their careers.