Overview

• In a new Business Insider interview published August 4, Stone described how an argument at the Cannes Film Festival prompted Douglas to refuse a screen test before they filmed Basic Instinct
• Douglas’s rep Allen Burry issued a same-day statement expressing surprise at Stone’s account and insisting the actor has no memory of any pre-production confrontation
• Stone said she spoke up to defend a friend Douglas was disparaging, triggering him to scream “What the f--- do you know?” across a group of people
• She maintains that the fallout nearly cost her the role of Catherine Tramell but believes the tension ultimately enhanced their on-screen chemistry
• Despite their conflicting recollections of their first encounter, both Stone and Douglas now highlight the strong friendship that emerged during and after Basic Instinct’s production