Living Unapologetically with Sharon Stone

IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson

In this episode of IMO, Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson interview actress Sharon Stone about her memoir, 'The Beauty ofly Living Twice.' T

Key takeaways

• Sharon Stone grew up in a 'kitchen sink Irish' household in Pennsylvania characterized by large families and limited resources.
• Stone's father possessed a lineage tracing back to French royalty, but the family lost their wealth following an oil well explosion and mismanagement of assets.
• Arriving in New York at age 15 with only $50, Stone survived by collecting change from public phone booths and occasionally stealing food to eat.
• Her transition from a successful modeling career under Eileen Ford to acting was catalyzed by her work in Woody Allen films.
• Stone reflects on the 'code of silence' regarding women's health and the lack of sexual education provided to previous generations.

Main topics

• Sharon Stone's memoir
• Family history and sudden poverty
• Survival in New York City

Notable quotes

I am enough.

Conclusion

A moving testament to the power of self-actualization and the strength

Transcript preview

Speaker 6 (0:00) If men got pregnant, you Speaker 4 (0:02) could get an abortion from a vending machine. Speaker 6 (0:08) You did that without an epidural. Paternity leave Speaker 4 (0:10) would be when you got the bonus. Speaker 6 (0:13) There you go, right. Hey, what's that over there? Yeah, what are you? Craig, Speaker 2 (0:18) Craig. What's that over there? What? Speaker 4 (0:19) Sharon, how did you Speaker 2 (0:20) end up in New York? Speaker 4 (0:25) Craig's like, I've had it with this conversation. Moving on. Moving on. Speaker 2 (0:40) How you doing? Speaker 6 (0:41) I'm doing great. I feel good. I mean, you know, I don't have any complaints right now today. Speaker 2 (0:49) That's good to hear. How Speaker 6 (0:50) about Speaker 2 (0:50) you? Speaker 6 (0:50) How's your health? Speaker 2 (0:52) My health is good. Are you Speaker 6 (0:53) working out like you're supposed to be? I'm working Speaker 2 (0:55) out and getting my walks in and getting my stretching in. Speaker 6 (0:59) There we go. Speaker 2 (1:01) And there we go. Speaker 6 (1:02) Some stretching going on. I hope everybody else is stretching. I was scolded into the stretching Speaker 2 (1:08) and then, you know, of course, coaching the kids hoops. So that gives me a lot of exercise this time of year. Yeah, that's good. Speaker 6 (1:19) And you still hanging tough? You're staying at an Airbnb again this time? I Speaker 2 (1:24) am. I'm staying at... a really nice Airbnb. And what's actually nice about it is that it's not the biggest one. It's very comfortable. I Speaker 6 (1:37) always worry about you rambling around in some big house by yourself. I know you Speaker 2 (1:40) do. I know you do. And Leslie and Elena are busy. So they, you know, usually they would come hang out with me for. As Speaker 6 (1:49) Malia says, wherever I'm staying, she comes and stays there because she's like, I'm here for the amenities. Speaker 2 (1:55) It's much nicer than my apartment. She's like, I'm Speaker 6 (1:58) just, she'll come. You know, we stay at some friends' houses. They have a beautiful home. And of course, she knows them. And I come home. She's like in the bath. She's taking a bubble bath. She's washed her hair. Doing laundry. Speaker 2 (2:12) She's like, you know, Speaker 6 (2:12) the water pressure here is just so much better. She just sort of camps out. to use the amenities. Yeah. Speaker 2 (2:18) The places are great. Yeah. You know, and we're going to be using them all summer long because, you know, we're doing these trips with the basketball team. Oh, yeah. You got Speaker 6 (2:28) one coming up. Speaker 2 (2:29) Yeah. And we love to get Airbnbs when we're on the road because... You never know what the game schedules are going to be. So you want to be able to go somewhere, be able to shower and have the whole team be there rather than your hotel room. Oh, yeah. You know, the fight between the boys on who gets to take the shower first and who uses up all the towels. You alleviate that by staying at an Airbnb. So we're looking forward to it. I'm Speaker 6 (2:55) glad you're doing okay. We are always excited about our guests. We are. We really are. But this is the level. But we, you know, this, let me just say, the privilege that we have in being able to take through IMO some really quality time and meet people and engage with a range of people that we've either met casually or have not met at all to really spend some time. And our guest today, Sharon Stone, the icon, is here. sort of met in passing. But it's just, I have met. I mean, it's just, it's just a blessing to be able to meet people who are smart, engaged, philanthropic, all of that good stuff. And that's what we're doing with our guests today here in Stone. And that's why Speaker 2 (3:50) we decided to do this because we get to. talk to some really interesting people as if they're at our house. Speaker 6 (3:58) Yeah, yeah. Speaker 2 (3:58) Like when we were younger and we'd have company and Speaker 6 (4:01) they'd Speaker 2 (4:02) sit around the kitchen table and we'd talk for hours and how we used to sabotage them leaving. Yeah, you guys should know we would have company and Misha and I would hear them talking about leaving and then we'd go in and ask for a snack or do something and mom would fix food in the... and the guests would end up staying for another hour. It's Speaker 6 (4:23) like we had Speaker 2 (4:23) another hour, right? Yeah, yeah. Speaker 6 (4:25) We won't hijack Sharon today, but why don't you, Craig, do the proper introduction? I will, Speaker 2 (4:30) I will. Sharon Stone is an internationally recognized actress, artist, producer, humanitarian, and New York Times bestselling author of her recent book, The Beauty of Living Twice. Beautiful memoir. Her film and television credits include Basic Instinct and Casino. for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in 1996 and an Academy Award nomination for her leading role opposite Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's crime drama. So without further ado, please welcome Sharon Stone. Speaker 4 (5:11) So Speaker 6 (5:12) nice to meet you. You look amazing. I Speaker 2 (5:14) am so glad you're here. Thank you. Speaker 6 (5:17) Scoot on in. Thank Speaker 2 (5:19) you. Hello. Speaker 6 (5:20) Awesome. You're looking great. Look who's talking. Yeah. See how, you know, we do into our mature years. You know, I mean. Are we supposed to be mature now? I'm just going to claim it. You know, it's like this is the thing I've been talking. I'm claiming my wisdom. I'm mature. I'm wise. I know what I'm doing. I Speaker 3 (5:42) think wisdom Speaker 4 (5:42) is really exciting. It Speaker 6 (5:44) is so exciting. And Speaker 4 (5:45) it's so, there's this really great mix of no tolerance and unbelievable tolerance. Speaker 6 (5:54) Yes. Right, where you're like, you just run with that. Just go. You know, one of the reasons, one of the many reasons why I love your memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, is that you really, you know, you are, incredibly vulnerable and honest and open about all aspects of your life. And you do it in such a beautiful way. You were really, really a beautiful storyteller and writer. It was a joy to get to know you better through your memoir. And if anybody who hasn't picked it up because it's been out for a while, I say do it because it's not just... an insight into Sharon Stone, but it's also a beautiful journey of forgiveness and love and family and strength and overcoming. Thank Speaker 4 (6:45) you. But Speaker 6 (6:46) it was fun to hear about your, not fun, it was interesting to hear about your childhood, you know, growing up. I love the way you said that you guys, there were kitchen sink Irish and lace curtain Irish folks. And you guys were kitchen sink Irish Speaker 4 (7:04) people. Can you talk about that? Well, they say there's kitchen sink and lace curtain. And lace curtain has lots of bathrooms. And kitchen sink has one bathroom and lots of kids. Yeah. Which means if the bathroom is in play, you pee in the kitchen sink. Right? Oh. Right? And, you know, that's it. When you've got, you know, four kids. And a lot of action and everybody's friends over and you can't get in the bathroom. That's where it's at. Or you pee in the yard. That's the way it is. You know, and I, you know, when my kids were little and I have three boys and I was potty training and I'd be like, go pee in the bushes. They were like, you're letting your kids just pee outside. It's like I grew up Speaker 6 (7:51) that Speaker 4 (7:51) way. Yes. Speaker 2 (7:52) Leave me Speaker 4 (7:52) alone. Speaker 2 (7:53) And the boys loved it, I'm sure. Of Speaker 4 (7:55) course. Speaker 2 (7:55) Boys love that kind of stuff. Yeah. Give me the bush. Mom said I could pee in the bushes. It's like, I'm living life. I'm living Speaker 6 (8:03) large. Yes. But you grew up in Pennsylvania. Speaker 3 (8:05) But in Speaker 6 (8:05) Beverly Speaker 4 (8:05) Hills, they think you're nuts. That's really right. Like you're some kind of wild animal. Although, you know, you Speaker 6 (8:10) grew up in Pennsylvania. The youngest of four? Speaker 4 (8:14) No. You were Speaker 6 (8:15) in the middle. Speaker 4 (8:16) I was, my brother was, I had a brother seven years older, a brother seven years younger, and a sister three years younger. So I was like. in a way, the oldest of the second batch. Speaker 6 (8:28) That's right. Okay. Speaker 2 (8:29) Right. Yeah. Can you talk about going to school and starting in second grade? Is that how that happened? Yeah. See, that is fascinating to me because- Thanks, Craig. I mean, clearly you're smart, but- Brilliant. To be in school at that young age with older kids, what was that like? Speaker 4 (8:53) You know, it was my parents. I was sort of a precocious kid, obviously. And my parents didn't quite know what to make of me. So they took me to the courthouse for a test. And then they decided to start me at second grade when I was five. Speaker 6 (9:08) What did precocious look like? What were you doing? Speaker 4 (9:11) I was walking, talking, potty trained at 10 months. Ripped my own diaper off and started telling my mother what to do. Someone Speaker 6 (9:18) bring me a diaper. Right? Mother, it's time. Speaker 4 (9:22) Oh, someone's in the bathroom. I need to use the sink. Yes, and correcting my mother's English and, you know, making my mother, like, I would say mother. Speaker 6 (9:31) Uh-huh. Speaker 4 (9:32) You know, because that Pennsylvania, you know, in Pennsylvania, people kind of talk like that. Uh-huh. You know, going down to G-Jet. Yeah. You went down by the river, got shot down by the river. Did you get something to eat? Eat something? It's something. Something. Speaker 6 (9:46) And you knew that. It's Speaker 4 (9:48) something. So I was in endless trouble for my opinions and ideas. Speaker 3 (9:54) Not unlike today. Speaker 4 (9:57) You've been consistent. Oh, Christ. My dad was getting called into the school. Sharon is not staying with the class. She's not listening. She's rushing ahead. She's getting other children to do what she wants them to do. My dad was like, is this true, Sharon? He's like, yes, sir. He'd be like, good. And don't tell her not to do it anymore. There you Speaker 3 (10:23) go. Speaker 4 (10:24) Or they'll be hell to pay. And then he'd pick me Speaker 3 (10:26) up and take me out Speaker 4 (10:27) for ice cream. He was the endless encourager of my acting out. Speaker 6 (10:33) That's so cool. Were you unique among Speaker 4 (10:35) your brothers and sisters too? Well, here's the Speaker 6 (10:38) thing. Or did Speaker 4 (10:38) this run in the family? But they were more compliant. And it wasn't until about... I think it was about eight years ago or nine years ago, I finally had an argument with my sister and said, I want you to take an IQ test online. Speaker 3 (10:58) It's Speaker 4 (10:58) enough of this. You said this to your sister? Yeah. I'm like, this is not, this is, it's an impossibility that it's not all of us. Speaker 6 (11:09) That is not genetic, yeah. Speaker 4 (11:10) Take an IQ test online. And she took an IQ test and ended up. coming out like at 147 or something. Speaker 6 (11:18) And Speaker 4 (11:19) I'm like, dude, go online, take some courses. Speaker 3 (11:24) And Speaker 4 (11:24) she started taking some online courses from Harvard and stuff. Because I was like, I'm done carrying this, like some kind of. It's like, Speaker 6 (11:34) I'm not by myself. I'm Speaker 4 (11:36) not odd. You're all odd. We're all odd. It's not an isolated incident. Come on. Yeah. Speaker 2 (11:50) This summer, the family and I took a trip to Bryan, Texas for our son's basketball tournament. We loved barbecue and had a chance to sample some of the local spots and realized how we missed finding places the locals frequent. Trips like that always make me think about how much of the world I still want to see. Of course, the only problem with having a long travel wish list is eventually somebody has to pay for it, which got me thinking, if you're heading out on your own adventure, or a big concert, game, or festival is bringing travelers to your town, you can list your space on Airbnb while you're away. Instead of letting your place sit empty, you could put it to work, earn some extra income, and give someone a home base to explore your city. They can discover the neighborhoods, local spots, and experiences that make your community special while you put that extra income toward your next adventure. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance, a company committed to helping people move forward and live fully. Mish, thinking back to when you picked up your first home? what was the biggest priority for you? For me, I was just laser focused on location. I needed to make sure I was central and close to family. Speaker 6 (13:17) Yeah, that was the same thing for us as well. I think when Barack and I bought our first home, we really only looked in one neighborhood. And that was Hyde Park on the south side of Chicago. It was down the street from where you and Janice and the kids lived. And that met the world. So we didn't even look in neighborhoods that weren't close to family, where the girls would go to school, where we were working. So for us, location was key. Speaker 2 (13:48) You know, when you do finally achieve that homeowning goal, it feels amazing. But getting to that point. That's where things tend to get complicated for a lot of people. Buying a home today is not easy, with rising costs and a lack of clear guidance leaving many feeling unsure where to start. That's why Progressive is here to help homebuyers get off the sidelines through their Open the House initiative. Right now, Progressive is expanding its Up Payment program. offering up to $13,500 each in down payment assistance to at least 200 eligible first-time buyers. That could be a game changer for homebuyers who need a little help to close that last gap. They also offer practical tools, educational resources, and guidance to help people navigate the home buying process with more confidence. Learn more about the Up Payment Program and Progressive's commitment to first-time homebuyers at progressive.com slash openthehouse, where homebuyers can access home buying resources and support to empower them in their housing journey. Remember when summer meant freedom? No homework, no teachers, no school. As adults, Mint Mobile's summer sale is bringing a little of that freedom back before summer's out. Right now, all of Mint's plans are $15 per month, even unlimited. So free yourself from big wireless and their gimmicks and gotchas and switch to Mint for high-speed data and coverage on the T-Mobile 5G network. It's easy, too. You can keep your current phone and number, and you can choose from three, six, or 12-month plans and say goodbye to a monthly bill. I know a ton of people who have switched for price, for transparency, for a whole range of reasons. Everyone has said it was totally worth it. So if you're like most Mint customers and you don't like seeing a few random surprise charges on your monthly bill, Mint is here for you. To get your new wireless plan for just $15 a month, go to mintmobile.com slash IMO. That's mintmobile.com slash IMO. Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at mintmobile.com slash IMO. That's it. There's no catch. Upfront payment of $45 for three months. $90 for six months or $180 for 12 months, plan required. $15 per month equivalent. Taxes and fees extra. Initial plan term only. Greater than 50 gigabyte may slow when network is busy. Includes up to 20 gigabyte hotspot. Capable device required. Availability, speed, and coverage varies. See mintmobile.com. Speaker 6 (16:40) Now, where did it come from? Your mother, your father? Because I love you. You said that your parents were madly in love with each other. Oh. But they just didn't know how to show that love in the same way to Speaker 4 (16:56) you Speaker 6 (16:56) guys as kids. No, because my Speaker 4 (16:57) mom was so violently abused. She came from a hideously abusive... They took her out of her home when she was nine because she was bleeding through the back of her gym. Speaker 4 (17:11) And the gym teacher made her take down her shirt and she was so caught up on her back Speaker 3 (17:17) that Speaker 4 (17:18) they called social services. And her father would, when he was not able to, she wouldn't succumb to the abuse. He would take her in the yard and beat her with these brambleberry bush branches, which would cut her back severely. And so when she... So when they saw it... And she crumbled. They pulled her out of the house. And it was, of course, the Depression era. So their idea of a great get-out for her was to put her in another family's home and allow her to be their maid, laundress, shopper, cleaner, everything at nine. Speaker 3 (18:05) And Speaker 4 (18:06) by 12, she was running the father's dental office as well. Speaker 4 (18:11) I never felt like it was really clean, even as awful as it was. I felt like some kind of abuse continued. By the time she was 16, she was pregnant with my dad, Speaker 3 (18:26) married. Speaker 4 (18:28) And they were married for 60 years. And they really had not only a love affair, but like a hot romance the whole time. Speaker 3 (18:39) It Speaker 4 (18:40) was