Hollywood icon Sharon Stone delivered a scorching rebuke to a group of young attendees during a prestigious awards ceremony this month, after they allegedly failed to recognise her and accused her of stealing a seat.
A Timeless Award Met with Immediate Tension
The dramatic incident unfolded on January 9 at the 9th Astra Film Awards in Los Angeles. Stone, 67, was on stage to accept the honorary Timeless Award. However, her acceptance speech took an immediate and unexpected turn as she addressed an awkward encounter that had happened just moments before.
According to a video from the event now circulating online, Stone stepped to the microphone and launched a direct attack on the "kids" at her table. "And to the kids at my table who wondered, 'Who the f*** took that chair?' Now you know," she declared to a mixture of laughter and shock from the audience.
The Confrontation and a Call to Action
Stone elaborated on the confrontation, revealing that someone had approached her and demanded, "Who are you and why are you sitting here?" Her blunt retort to this question—"As she said, 'F*** you!'"—drew hearty applause from the crowd.
Yet, after this very public calling-out, the Oscar-nominated star of Casino shifted gear. She graciously offered the unnamed individuals a path to redemption, urging them to use their energy for positive change. "I’d like to give you an opportunity to start your activism work now that your consciousness has kicked in," Stone stated. "Because fame without awareness, success without purpose, is pointless."
A Lesson in Tenacity from a Screen Icon
Stone then used the platform to share a powerful lesson from her own career, emphasising grit and determination over mere talent. She recounted how she famously won the lead role in the 1992 erotic thriller Basic Instinct, a part she was not initially offered.
"I was the person who got her manager to bring her to the office and get her the script... and I was the person who had a manager to call every single f***ing day, because I wanted that part," she recalled passionately. Stone advised aspiring artists in the room to aggressively pursue what they believe is meant for them.
She dismissed empty talk, telling the audience, "F*** off! All your hot air doesn't mean anything." Instead, she championed action: "Shut the front door and get to work. Do something with what you have. The only thing that matters in this life is what you do with what you've got."
Reflecting on her blue-collar upbringing in Pennsylvania, Stone explained how necessity forced her to leave and seize opportunities. As her nearly 10-minute speech concluded, she returned to the tablemates who had sparked the entire episode.
"Here's what I'm going to tell you," she finished. "You know who I am now." Her final piece of advice was to "carry home someone you're proud of, and you, too, will be timeless, whether the people at your table know who you are or not," which was met with thunderous applause.
The identities of the young people involved have not been publicly revealed. A representative for Sharon Stone has not yet responded to requests for further comment on the incident.
