Sharon Stone's Legendary Playboy Photoshoot, July 1990: A Pivotal Cultural Moment
Nov. 14, 2023 in Models & Actresses Photos by Julian Everett
In July 1990, Sharon Stone, already a rising star in Hollywood, graced the pages of Playboy magazine, marking a pivotal moment in both her career and the cultural landscape of the time. The photoshoot, captured just before her breakthrough role in "Basic Instinct", showcased Stone's charisma and undeniable presence, transcending the typical expectations of celebrity glamour.
Stone's collaboration with Playboy was more than just a series of photographs; it was a bold statement of empowerment and self-expression. The actress's decision to pose for the magazine was seen as a daring move, challenging the norms of how female sexuality was perceived in the entertainment industry. The photoshoot featured Stone in a series of stunning, tastefully artistic images that highlighted her natural beauty and confidence.
The impact of this photoshoot was profound, cementing Sharon Stone's status as a sex symbol and a fearless artist. It also played a significant role in reshaping the public's perception of Playboy, demonstrating the magazine's ability to celebrate female empowerment through its features. The July 1990 issue became a collector's item, revered not only for its aesthetic appeal but also for its cultural significance.
Akhough Sharon has worked with such stars as James Caan and Martin Sheen, she has also shown up in some miccling fare (Police Academy /V.Action Jackson, Above the Law). After winning plaudits as Robert Mitchum's philandering daughter-in-law Janice Henry in the ABC miniseries War and Remem-brance, she has started rising. like cream, to the top. Total Recall, in which Sharon plays Arnold Schwarzenegger's wife, is due for nationwide release June 15, and she has three more films-Personal Choice, Scissors and a remake of Blood and Sand— wrapped or in progress. As if that weren't enough, she has also landed a cosmetics account—for which, typically, she interviewed sans make-up. "I didn't wear any for the Playboy shoot, either," she says. "The photographer wanted me as I am, and that was just fine. Wet hair, no make-up, no clothes. That's about as naked as you can get. A director once said to me. "The reason men want you to wear inake-up is that when you don't, they feel they have to be honest with you because you're honest with them.'"
Sex is so much more in the mind than in the body," Sharon says. "I like a man whose brain is more expansive than his penis. Lips really do it for me: big. full lips. When I was fourteen, this boy told me he'd teach me how to kiss if ra meet him in the auditorium during our free period. He sure taught me how to kiss, how to feel it. how to give someone room to kiss you back. I was very young and sexually immature then." Mischievously, she adds, *I was always a great student, however." She tosses that blonde mane. "Masculine men are an endangered species. We've endangered them by not experiencing our equality as women but by trying to be like men. It's an enormous mistake. And we're so afraid that if we reveal ourselves sexually to a person, he will steal our soul. So we pick people who could never possibly do that, people who are bad for us." She sighs. "I heard that Kathleen Turner's husband told her, 'I may not be the best lover in the world, but I know what you like' That's being the best lover in the world!" Twirling her fork, Sharon laughs. "This is a pretty sexy conversation. Do we get to have a smoke when it's over?"
MARILIN GRABOWSKI (PlayBoy 1990/07)
