BBC 100 Women: Sharon Stone’s emotional message to her younger self

When I pose the question to Sharon Stone about what advice she would give her younger self regarding resilience, her response takes us both by surprise.

We've discussed politics, art, and Hollywood, but then she suddenly covers her eyes with her hand, stops for a moment, and begins to cry.

"The message she wants to convey is, 'You will succeed,'" says the 66-year-old actress from Hollywood.

The actor, humanitarian, writer, producer, and now painter reflects on the times when a brain hemorrhage almost took her life 23 years ago.

"You might not realize it, but you'll succeed," she insists. "I’d even get it tattooed on the inside of my eyelids."

Check it out: Actress Sharon Stone gets emotional and tears up when she shares the advice she would give to her younger self.

"I wish I had known it many times before," she says.

She recalls, “There I was on the ground, unable to get an ambulance. When I returned home after being discharged from the hospital, I read in People magazine that it would take 30 days to find out if I would survive or not.”

An artery had burst, leading to bleeding in her brain and resulting in a stroke. She mentions that doctors claimed she had only a 1% chance of surviving and that she needed to retrain herself in essential skills such as walking and speaking.

She continues by outlining the difficulties she has encountered since then, such as money issues and a custody dispute with her former husband, Phil Bronstein, regarding their adopted son, Roan.

Before I asked my question, Stone reflects, she hadn't completely realized that she had moved past everything. "It's been a while, and that's alright... it's behind us now... everyone has made it to safety," she shares.

Stone received her Global Citizen of the Year award from UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

This year's BBC World Service 100 Women series focuses on the concept of resilience, and she lights up with joy when I mention that she has been included in our list of remarkable and impactful women.

Stone shot to fame after her role in the 1992 erotic thriller Basic Instinct, which earned her the title of a sex symbol. She has discussed how this led to her being pigeonholed in certain roles.

However, she leveraged her celebrity status to gather significant funds for charitable initiatives, particularly in support of research related to HIV and AIDS.

"I feel a great sense of pride having transformed this concept from a film—where I was portrayed as incredibly attractive—into a way to combat a disease that negatively affects people for their sexuality. After all, I was facing similar repercussions for my own," she explains.

Stone's efforts in addressing HIV and AIDS led her to receive the 2013 Nobel Peace Summit Award. This honor is presented by Nobel Peace Prize winners to individuals in the cultural and entertainment fields who have made significant contributions to social justice and peace.

Last year, the United Nations Correspondents Association recognized her as the Global Citizen of the Year.

Stone was honored with the Stella della Mole Award for her remarkable contributions to the film industry throughout her career.

Following her role in Basic Instinct, Stone earned a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in Martin Scorsese's 1995 movie, Casino.

I'm speaking with her in Turin, Italy, where the city's film museum has recognized her with the Stella della Mole Award for her contributions to cinema throughout her career.

In addition to her charitable efforts, Stone has been very vocal about her political views, particularly her criticism of Donald Trump, who was elected as President of the United States. On election day, she shared a photo of herself wearing a "Mrs. President" shirt to show her support for Kamala Harris.

"I view the world from a slightly different perspective than many people in my country. However, that doesn't mean I lack love for my country," she explains.

However, she states that she will "honor the position of the president... because that's what a democracy requires."

She has now embarked on a new journey as a thriving artist, showcasing and selling her work internationally.

She started concentrating on painting during the pandemic. Now, she creates her artwork in a studio right next to her house in Los Angeles.

Her creations are striking and have an impressionistic style, and as she puts it, they are "quite large." She attributes this size to two main influences: her aunt, who used to create murals on the walls of her home, and her own limited vision that makes it challenging for her to work on smaller pieces.

She explains that she doesn't picture the end result while she's painting. "I'm fully absorbed in the process," she shares. "It's such a deep experience. It's simply amazing."

Eva Oertwig, with permission from News Travels Fast

Earlier this year, Stone showcased his artworks at an exhibition in Galerie Deschler in Berlin.

We also discuss online dating — and it's worth noting that the famous Hollywood star Sharon Stone has been trying it out too, just like many others in search of romance. In fact, she faced a brief suspension from Bumble because some users suspected her profile wasn't real.

However, websites "don't provide what really defines dating: the chemistry," she notes. "You have to discover that on your own, like a truffle pig," she jokes, adding that "it's impossible to sense it through a screen."

Stone mentions that the brain hemorrhage transformed her into "a completely different person," altering not only her preferences in food but also introducing new allergies.

Pictured at the Cinema Against AIDS Gala in 2014, Stone has been advocating for HIV awareness since the 1990s.

The movie industry has also evolved. Stone points out that formerly, "women were portraying the fantasies created by men," who were responsible for writing, directing, producing, editing, and distributing the films.

She mentions that she wasn't fully persuaded by how some of her characters acted. However, she now believes, "I feel we're reaching a point where women are portrayed in a way that reflects their true behavior in those situations."

I inquire about what resilience represents to Stone.

"We have the option to complain and dwell on our problems, or we can embrace happiness – I believe it's important to keep choosing happiness," she explains. "Focus on the moment. You stumbled. Now it's time to rise again. If someone pushed you down but now wants to lend a hand, accept their help."

As the interview wraps up, the team freshens up her makeup. She takes a sip of water. After that, she gets up, gives me a hug, and expresses her gratitude for asking about her younger self, calling it “very moving.” She hugs me once more before departing.

Every year, BBC 100 Women highlights 100 remarkable and impactful women from across the globe. Stay connected with BBC 100 Women on Instagram and Facebook. Participate in the discussion by using the hashtag #BBC100Women.