Sharon Stone Shares the Unexpected Source of Her Biggest Paychecks

There’s always an assumption that all Hollywood A-listers are wealthy from their TV and film careers, but that’s not exactly true. As technology rapidly changes the entertainment industry, stars like Sharon Stone are turning elsewhere to earn a paycheck. 

The 67-year-old celebrity, who was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar in 1996 for Casino, revealed to Business Insider that she makes her fortune from her side hustle. Stone began her career as a model in the 1970s, and she pursues it to this day. “I’m still modeling, and I still make more money today modeling than in film. It’s still a huge part of my reality,” she shared. 

She’s currently the face of Mugler’s archival capsule of 24 looks based on Manfred Thierry Mugler’s creations between 1985 and 2000, per WWD. She first walked for the designer in 1992 in a full stylistic dominatrix outfit. She also gave the fashion outlet an iconic quote after the show: “Acting is from your soul. Modeling is from your ego.”

Still, Stone always had dreams of becoming a director, but she believes sexism in Hollywood got in the way. “But back then, I wanted to be a director, but the pesky vagina has stood in my way because how could you possibly have a brain and a vagina? It seems to have confounded so many,” she told Business Insider.

Stone has always been outspoken about the pay gap between men and women in Hollywood, and her Basic Instinct paycheck is a great example. She shared with InStyle in February 2022 why she added a wardrobe clause to her contract. (Yes, she owns that stunning white minidress from the movie.)

She knows she “wasn’t getting paid much compared” to Douglas, so this was a way to make her contract more valuable. 

“I made $500,000; Michael made $14 million,” Stone shared. “So, keeping my costumes was a really smart thing to do.” That $13.5 million difference between them is huge, even if it was her breakout role. Eventually, there was a payoff for Stone, though.

It came in her subsequent film with a pay bump to $2.5 million for Sliver, and $13.6 million for Basic Instinct 2 in 2006, per The Richest. She’s now reportedly worth $25 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, which might seem small against her former co-star’s estimated $350 million. The pay gap was wide during their Basic Instinct days, but the gulf seems even bigger now.

Before you go, click here to see all of the highest paid women in Hollywood!