Sharon Stone goes viral after she suggests Oscar-winner Meryl Streep is overrated: 'I'm a much better villain than Meryl'
Sharon Stone was the talk of Twitter on Tuesday after an interview snippet of her suggesting Meryl Streep was overrated went viral.
The 63-year-old Basic Instinct star said in an interview with Everything Zoomer that was published last month that there were many actresses who were the equal of Streep, 72, but they never achieved the fame or acclaim that she had.
Twitter users and film fans were quick to join in with praise for Stone's own acclaimed career, though Streep's body of work had plenty of defenders.
Not holding back: An interview with Everything Zoomer from May in which Sharon Stone, 63, argued Hollywood overlooks actresses by showering praise on Meryl Streep, 72, went viral on Tuesday
Stone's comments came after interviewer Johanna Schneller brought up her memoir The Beauty Of Living Twice and referenced a line about how Hollywood forces women to compete for a small number of roles.
'It was put to us that there could be room for only one,' she wrote in her book.
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Schneller then asked about when Stone 'finally got to work with Meryl Streep' on Steven Soderbergh's Netflix film The Laundromat, but she thought the question illustrated her point.
'I like the way you phrase that, that I finally got to work with Meryl Streep,' she said. 'You didn’t say, 'Meryl finally got to work with Sharon Stone." Or we finally got to work together.'
The record: Stone's comments came after interviewer Johanna Schneller brought up her memoir and referenced a line about how Hollywood forces women to compete for a small number of roles; Streep seen in The Laundromat
Meaningful phrasing: Schneller asked about when Stone 'finally got to work with Meryl Streep' on Steven Soderbergh's The Laundromat, but she thought the question illustrated her point; Stone and Streep in The Laundromat
Stone continued: 'Because that’s the way her life went, she got built up to be, ‘Everyone wants to work with Meryl." I wonder if she likes that?'
The Casino star added that she thought other actresses were constantly pitted against Streep.
'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,' she said. '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.'
To prove her point that Streep wasn't necessarily the top star in her field, Stone listed off other actress that she considered her equal.
'Viola Davis is every bit the actress Meryl Streep is. Emma Thompson. Judy Davis. Olivia Colman. Kate Winslet, for f***’s sake. But you say Meryl and everybody falls on the floor,' she said.
Awkward: 'I like the way you phrase that, that I finally got to work with Meryl Streep,' Stone said. 'You didn’t say, 'Meryl finally got to work with Sharon Stone." Or we finally got to work together'
The Oscar nominee also wasn't afraid to toot her own horn.
'I’m a much better villain than Meryl and I’m sure she’d say so,' she boasted. 'Meryl was not gonna be good in Basic Instinct or in Casino. I would be better. And I know it. And she knows it.'
That portion of the interview was shared on Tuesday by a Twitter user who captioned it, 'sharon stone out there ending her own career…'
But plenty of people defended Stone's statements about Streep and how Hollywood treats other actress, even though it's rare for stars to so openly express any negative sentiment about another actor.
Sharing the news: That portion of the interview was shared on Tuesday by a Twitter user who captioned it, 'sharon stone out there ending her own career…'
On her side: 'Sharon Stone is right and she should say it,' tweeted writer and film critic Kyle Turner. 'Streep is overrated and has barely done any even okay work in over a decade.'
Supportive: Writer and critic Juan Barquin agreed. 'sharon stone is right and she should say it,' they wrote.
Famous role: Another person added their support for Stone with a short clip of her in Martin Scorsese's Casino, which earned the actress her only Academy Award nomination
'Sharon Stone is right and she should say it,' tweeted writer and film critic Kyle Turner. 'Streep is overrated and has barely done any even okay work in over a decade.'
Writer and critic Juan Barquin agreed. 'sharon stone is right and she should say it,' they wrote.
Another person added their support for Stone with a short clip of her in Martin Scorsese's Casino, which has seen renewed praise from critics and viewers in recent years and earned the actress her only Academy Award nomination.
'We are not dealing with Sharon Stone slander on the timeline today,' they tweeted.
Didn't see that coming: The television critic and New Yorker staff writer Emily Nussbaum joked the stars were actually playing each other
Having a laugh: Another person wrote Stone's name and posted a humorous GIF of Hannibal Buress caption, 'Why are you booing me? I'm right.'
Not her fault: One user tried to redirect some of the vitriol aimed at Streep toward screenwriters and the executives who weigh in on casting
The television critic and New Yorker staff writer Emily Nussbaum joked, 'What most people don't understand is that Sharon Stone is actually a Meryl Streep character and vice-versa.'
Another person wrote Stone's name and posted a humorous GIF of Hannibal Buress caption, 'Why are you booing me? I'm right.'
One user tried to redirect some of the vitriol aimed at Streep toward screenwriters and the executives who weigh in on casting.
'I hate the nasty narrative that somehow Meryl works TOO much and steals roles. Maybe the conversation should be we don't write enough roles for people like Sharon Stone and Judy Davis to thrive in.'
Check the record: Journalist and film writer Mark Harris said Streep simply has more great films that Stone and wrote that it wasn't her fault if other actresses were undervalued
Journalist and film writer Mark Harris also defended Streep's career.
'I love Sharon Stone, but on this one, I am a "Let me check this against the historical record" Film Gay, not a "Tell your messy chaotic truth, gurl!" Film Gay. Sorry!'
He argued that Streep's successes and acclaim have nothing to do with other stars being overlooked.
'There are actresses who are underappreciated, and the fact that Meryl Streep is widely and justly appreciated has nothing to do with it, and people who insist that one actress's success must by definition deprive other actresses of their due NEVER discuss men that way,' he continued.
'Streep is now wrapping up her fourth decade of "She's not all that!"' he wrote, adding that, 'A good way to celebrate other actresses is to celebrate other actresses, not gripe about one.'
So far, Stone hasn't weighed in on the online discussion, though she posted unrelated tweets on Tuesday.
Radio silence: So far, Stone hasn't weighed in on the online discussion, though she posted unrelated tweets on Tuesday; seen in Basic Instinct
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