Sharon Stone is being applauded after resurfaced candid comments from her about Meryl Streep sparked reactions online.
A Stone fan shared an excerpt from an interview published last month after noticing that it was Streep's birthday.
The Everything Zoomer interviewer was speaking with Stone ahead of the release of her memoir The Beauty of Living Twice, and asked her what it was like to "finally" work with Streep in Steven Soderbergh's The Laundromat.
"I like the way you put it, that I finally got to work with Meryl Streep," Stone responded. "You didn't say, 'Meryl finally got to work with Sharon Stone,' or we finally got to work together."
She then went deeper into the subject and added: “It's because her life has always been like this, there's a certain expectation, like, 'everyone wants to work with Meryl.' I wonder if she likes that."
Stone, who said she's much better when it comes to playing a "villain," went on to list actors who are "equally talented" as Streep.
“The industry was set up in such a way that we all envy and admire Meryl because only Meryl got to be the good one. And they should all compete against Meryl. I think Meryl is an amazingly wonderful woman and actress. But in my opinion, frankly, there are other equally talented actresses like Meryl Streep."
She added that "all the iconography of Meryl Streep is part of what Hollywood does to women."
She named Viola Davis, Emma Thompson, Judy Davis, Olivia Colman, and Kate Winslet as actresses who deserve as much recognition as Streep.
Stone, referring to her earlier credits, said that she believes Streep herself would admit that she "wouldn't be good at Basic Instincts or Casino."
The Twitter post went viral, with many praising Stone for saying what they think many other Hollywood stars would be too scared to admit.
I feel like "overrated" might be harsh, but I would agree that it's a bigger deal to work with Meryl Streep versus Viola Davis (despite both being incredible actors).
I am very much in love with Sharon Stone's "Don't get me STARTED" energy here though.
"I love Meryl Streep and can understand what Sharon Stone is saying too," one person wrote.
Another added: "Meryl Streep couldn't have done Basic Instinct but Sharon Stone could have done Mamma Mia."
One person acknowledged that while Streep "is a near-perfect actress," there are many others, including Glenn Close, Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Rooney Mara, Kerry Washington, and Regina King, who "are just as great on their best day.".
They concluded: "Sharon Stone is absolutely right."
Another social media user added: "I love Meryl Streep and I think she's a phenomenal actress but Sharon Stone is right!"
