Sharon Stone opens up about ageism against women in Oprah interview

Sharon Stone has shared an important message on growing older as a woman - and it’s something we all need to hear. 

The Oscar-nominated actor sat down with Oprah Winfrey to talk about the inspiration behind her upcoming memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, and endow viewers with some empowering words on aging. 

Speaking with the legendary television host in a preview of an upcoming interview for Soul Saturday, Sharon explained why she chose to write her book now. 

“I think as we grow older, we have this societal pressure, where people start to try to tell us that our worth is diminished, and I think that this is a time in our life when our worth is most enhanced,” she said. 

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The Basic Instinct star, who is now 63, went on to criticize the discrimination faced by women in society once they reach a certain age. 

“I think when we’re 40, as women, we get to this incredibly powerful place, and it's the time, I have to say, that I believe the white male society starts to tell women, ‘You don’t have worth.’” 

Sharon argues, however, that this is the decade when women truly come into themselves. 

“It’s the first time when you’re 40, when you’re told, your worth becomes less. And I believe that’s because it’s the first time in your life where your worth becomes so much more,” she told Oprah, who nodded in agreement. 

“You become the most powerful you’ve ever been,” she added. 

Sharon will address a number of other issues in the interview, including her childhood abuse and near-death experience following a stroke. The Beauty of Living Twice, which hits shelves on March 30, explores these traumas in further detail, as well as the ups and downs of her long-spanning Hollywood career. 

In one excerpt of the memoir printed in Vanity Fair, Sharon recalled being tricked into removing her underwear for the iconic Basic Instinct film scene. In another instance, she claimed a producer attempted to convince her to have sex with a costar for the purpose of ‘on-screen chemistry.’ 

This occurrence wasn't just a one-off. Sharon revealed she has been pressured multiple times to sleep with her fellow actors during shooting. “I’ve had other producers on other films just come to my trailer and ask, ‘So, are you going to fuck him, or aren’t you? … You know it would go better if you did’,” she wrote. When she refused to compromise her integrity, she was labeled as ‘difficult.’ 

"Many people ask me what it was like in my days of being a superstar," Sharon said. "It was like this. Play ball or get off the field, girl."