Sharon Stone missed iconic role in "American Beauty," originally intended for Annette Bening, revealing lost opportunities in her career.
Sharon Stone, an acclaimed Oscar-nominated actress, disclosed a missed opportunity that might have significantly influenced her career. On August 17, during an episode of Watch What Happens Live, Stone shared that she auditioned for the role played by Annette Bening in the 1999 filmAmerican Beauty but was ultimately not cast. This revelation centers on the well-known film that won widespread critical acclaim and major awards.
The Missed Opportunity for a Breakout Role in “American Beauty”
When asked by an audience member to identify a famous role she did not land, Stone responded with humor, saying,
“Well, I hope you have a lot of time. Oh, so many.”
—Sharon Stone.
She then openly admitted her attachment to the part:
“I really would have liked to have been in that movie with Kevin Spacey that Annette Bening got the part,”
referring to American Beauty. Stone added,
“Yeah, I wanted that movie, I really wanted that movie.”
—Sharon Stone.
Her intuition about the project proved accurate, as American Beauty secured the Best Picture Oscar in 2000, with Bening receiving a Best Actress nomination for her role as Carolyn Burnham, a suburban housewife facing personal challenges.
Competition and Challenges Among Performers for Roles
Stone revealed she encountered numerous other missed chances for roles throughout her career. When host Andy Cohen inquired about the frequency of competing against the same actors, Stone responded,
“Oh, millions and millions and millions of times.”
—Sharon Stone. She jokingly recounted the frustration of constant competition, stating,
“It got to the point where I thought, ‘I hope they die. I am never gonna work unless that actress dies.’”
—Sharon Stone.
Stone described feeling puzzled by the recurring rejection:
“‘I just cannot get a job … why do they like her and they don’t like me ever?’”
—Sharon Stone. In a later 2024 interview with the BBC, her tone softened to express a more hopeful outlook:
Image of: Sharon Stone
“I am so sure that when there’s a no, it’s because there’s a yes somewhere else,”
she said. —Sharon Stone.
The Backlash and Impact of Stone’s “Basic Instinct” Role
Stone’s rise to fame was propelled by her 1992 role in Basic Instinct, where she played a bisexual killer in a film known for a controversial nude scene. The movie sparked backlash over its depiction of LGBTQ themes and violence. Despite criticism, Stone turned the attention into an opportunity for charity work. In 2003, she participated in a fundraising event by auctioning a kiss to benefit AIDS research, setting a Guinness World Record for the highest-priced kiss ever sold at auction.
Reflecting on the event, Stone recalled,
“I got both a man and a woman bidding to buy a kiss, and I got them bidding against each other,”
—Sharon Stone. She added,
“I got made into an idea of something and I sold it … to raise money for AIDS research.”
—Sharon Stone.
She expressed pride in using her image for a greater cause:
“I’m really proud that I took this idea … that I was really sexy and used it to fight a disease where people were getting punished for their sexuality. Because I was getting punished for mine.”
—Sharon Stone.
How These Experiences Have Shaped Stone’s Career Outlook
The story of the iconic role that eluded Stone highlights not only the unpredictability of casting but also the challenges actors face in Hollywood. Her candid reflections on missed roles and professional rivalry reveal a mixture of frustration and resilience. By channeling the backlash from past controversies into activism, Stone demonstrates how negative experiences can be transformed into meaningful action. The missed chance in American Beauty remains a notable “what if” moment, but Stone’s ongoing work, including her current role alongside Bob Odenkirk in Nobody 2, shows her continued presence and adaptability in the industry.
