Was Sharon Stone always a terrible actress?

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Did anyone get drunk and watch Sharon Stone’s first episode as the new Assistant District Attorney for Law & Order: SVU last night? Am I the only one raising my hand? Well, I watched it so you don’t have to. You should be happy, because Sharon SUCKED. I mean, her horrible acting was so epic, I sobered up. Not even an appearance by Sam “Jack McCoy 4 Eva” Watterson could save this bitch.

Now, before I get too heavily into bashing Sharon, let me just say that my once beloved SVU is just terrible now. It was going downhill last season, but this season The Awful just keeps coming. You know it was bad when I was like, “I’ll pay Christopher Meloni $100 to shoot Christine Lahti in the face.” The stories have been terrible, and all too often the have nothing to do with “special victims”. I guess it’s come to the point where, yeah, how many serial rapists can there be in New York? But still, I know there’s new material to be found, somebody’s just sleeping on the job.

As for Sharon’s premiere appearance… it was just wrong. Her delivery was wrong, her haughty flirtation with Meloni was wrong, her attitude was weird, and Sharon just seemed like she was two seconds behind everyone. Was she drunk? Oh, and her face: it’s been worked on. Entertainment Weekly had complaints too:

Sharon Stone began her four-episode guest-star turn on Law & Order: SVU in an episode filled with such clunky dialogue and improbable details that by the end, she seemed like a “special victim” herself.

Stone played ADA Jo Marlowe, and how unlikely is it that, with all the time Christopher Meloni’s Stabler and Mariska Hargitay’s Benson have spent together, he never mentioned that his old partner Jo wasn’t a “Joe”? Looking great even when doffing her heels for rubbery firefighter boots while investigating a possible arson blaze, Stone had to revive her best hard-boiled Catherine Tramell tone to sell hokey lines such as, “Let’s cut Pizza face loose” and “Let’s light this baby up.”

If the guest star was failed by the script, Meloni and Hargitay must be wearily used to it by now; SVU has long been the most mawkish and overwrought Law & Order franchise. This week’s case was about two children dead in an apartment fire that investigators think was set by an acne-ridden pyromaniac — no, a desperate dad; no, a… aw, who cared? Stabler and Benson cared, of course: They continue to embody righteous indignation; no crime is too small to evade their angry glares and pious speeches when cuffing a perp.

L&O: SVU loves to find new kinkiness to exploit, and last night hit upon “pyrophelia” — a real condition in which the sinner gets off on fire (unfortunately literally, as we were shown tape of the jerk pleasuring himself while gazing at the apartment conflagration).

The interrogation scenes would have been almost laughable in a sitcom. In one, “Pizza Face” went into a swoony erotic trance as soon as Stabler lit a match in front of him. In another, Stabler wiped away sympathetic tears with his handerkerchief to build trust with the dead kids’ father, only to reveal to Stone and Hargitay that he’d used a wily trick I thought only worked in Bugs Bunny cartoons: He’d hidden a Bermuda onion in his hanky!

Even a stern cameo by Sam Waterston (yay, a new episode of the superior Law & Order next Monday!) or a nice brief turn by Brad Dourif as an arson expert couldn’t save the show for Stone’s debut. She got to have nice, big, table-turning scene in the final courtroom showdown, but it was too little, too late.

[From EW]

Yes, Brad Dourif – one of the greatest weirdo character actors working today – was the only good part. He specializes in playing freaks, and his hyperactive arson specialist was a great character for him. Note to producers: Cast Dourif as the ADA next, hm?

About halfway through the episode, I really began to wonder – was Sharon always this terrible an actress? Thoughts?

Sharon Stone poses with Law & Order: SVU stars Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni, as she films scenes for her guest spot

set of ''Law and Order-Special victims unit'' New York City

set of ''Law and Order-Special victims unit'' New York City

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48 Responses to “Was Sharon Stone always a terrible actress?”

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  1. Praise St. Angie! says:

    Yes, yes she was.

    what’s she remembered for?

    certainly not her acting…

    (hint: she showed her vadge in a movie.)

  2. Lauren says:

    Yes, she has always been that terrible. I watched the episode last night and I think I’m finally ready to jump ship from that show. Sigh. I can’t even watch “Criminal Intent” now either since Vincent D’Onofrio (sp?) is gone.

  3. lena says:

    Was Sharon Stone always a terrible actress?

    yes

  4. Livia says:

    Has the sky always been blue? 😛

  5. Chelly says:

    I disagree…well, I didnt watch the show last night but she isnt a terrible actress. She used to be exceptional. Basic Instinct, CASINO ans sooo many others! C’mon, give me a freaking BREAK

  6. Love me some Mariska! Oh, man! She is one FI-A!

  7. Lala11_7 says:

    No…Sharon isn’t a terrible actress…she was damn good in “Casino”…she was damn good in “Basic Instincts”…she was damn good in “The Last Dance”…

    With Sharon…it depends on the part…on the director…etc., she isn’t that type of actress that will shine no matter what (ala Meryl)…

    I think Sharon’s problem is that over the years…she’s focused more on her “persona” than her acting skills…

    Too bad…

  8. Sumodo1 says:

    Plus, she’s nuckin’ futs.

  9. I loved Criminal Intent back in the days, it changed for me since Vincent DOnofrio went out. Sharon Stone an actress ?.. No shes not !

  10. LolaBella says:

    SVU has been really bad for the past 2 seasons, but I quit watching after the Christine Lahti debacle of a storyline. Ugh.

    Even the promise of the ubiquitous ‘Sexy Chris Meloni in nothing but his little black boxer briefs’ scenes (swoon) couldn’t keep me tuned in any more.

    …and to answer the question, yes Sharon Stone has always been a terrible actress…I give you Exhibit A – Basic Instinct 2 and Exhibit B – Catwoman.

  11. Brown Sugar says:

    Yes the show and Sharon were horrible

  12. Jeri says:

    I think so, when everything isn’t designed especially to flatter her, she can’t cut the mustard. (yikes! Did I say that.)

    SVU went from being my favorite to being horrible, especially when they have a “special guest star.” (Robin Williams evading the whole force by stooping behind a bush.)

  13. padiddle says:

    Sharon was good in Casino, which must have been a fluke. She is painfully bad, although flawlessly beautiful, in everything else.

  14. Hautie says:

    Makes me wonder if Sharon is looking for a TV show of her own. Since the movie thing is not working for most of the over 45 age set. I would not be surprised if she ends up on TV weekly.

    I stopped watching SVU when it decided to be dedicated to the angst of Stabler and Olivia. I much prefer the musings of Fin and Munch. And when the show was about telling a story.

    Now it is about if Meloni is going to have a Emmy worthy episode to submit. And I adore him, but I got so tired of the “Elliott has anger issues” episodes.

  15. Roma says:

    I actually came home drunk after watching the NHL playoffs (come on now, I’m Canadian) and decided to watch SVU since I recorded it. It. Was. Awful. I kept wondering if Sharon’s character was supposed to be a secret drunk, a la Christine Lahti.

    I suspected I may just have been judgmental due to the beer buzz and didn’t erase it, so I could watch it again when sober. I’m guessing I don’t have to?

    That being said, the Daily Show is wicked funny when you’re smashed.

  16. hellen says:

    Sharon actually was very good in Basic Instinct and Casino – but her acting never improved, it only went downhill. And yes, I agree that she has concentrated on her “personality” (you work with what you’ve got).

    I want Marissa’s brown coat in that second photo. And I want Elliot Stabler in (or out of) his black underwear.

  17. Leticia says:

    Yes. This is as good as her acting gets.

    But in terms of looks, she is aging well.

  18. Obvious says:

    *sigh* i will be loyal to this show till the end. look on the bright side, while they may be dragging it out, they haven’t killed it and then beat if with a stick (a la the last 3 seasons of 7th Heaven)

    let’s bring in a male DA for a change, let Liv be the only girl for awhile.

    and I can’t stand CI anymore. Vincenet left and when they switched it to USA and had two casts i said screw it all.

  19. krissy_kitty says:

    I watched svu last night for the first time in years (it was the only show I could find) When it was over I wished I hadn’t. Stones acting was horrible and the non stop one liners??? Ugh! I agree Kaiser, Brad Douriff usually brings out the creepies, but surprisingly he was the ONLY highlight if the show.

  20. Cheyenne says:

    Stone has always been fair-to-poor in terms of acting ability. SVU has been going downhill for the past two years. The original Law & Order has the best cast this season since Briscoe / Logan / McCoy / Claire Whats-her-face (I wish Mike and Connie would hurry up and get it on, they’re a great pairing), but alas, they are killing off or retiring Anita Van Buren at the end of the season and I don’t know if I’ll be able to watch it any more once she’s gone. She is the heart and soul of the show.

  21. susanne says:

    I was sober, and kept asking my husband, “is it me, or is she really that bad?”
    The story line was ughh. I’d love to see Meloni win an emmy- such a bummer to leave the show on such a down note.
    I think Sharon’s work looks good, though. She’s got some lines in her face still.

  22. lacy says:

    Maybe she needed a better script? I’ve always thought the acting and the whole show were pretty cheesy, like a slightly better daytime soap. But I watch it anyway because I like cheesy soaps. I really can’t think of anyone who’s done a great acting job on this show. In Casino, Sharon Stone was fabulous and got robbed for the Oscar. I feel that way every time I watch it. I really hated her in that movie, and if she can invoke that reaction in me, even the 50th time I saw the move, she did well.

  23. danielle says:

    I agre with Lala, I think Sharon can be good with the right script and director. But she hasn’t had either of those for a LONG time, so maybe what talent she had went downhill?

  24. bellaluna says:

    Yes. She’d better not be a permanent fixture on SVU or I’ll have to stop watching SVU, just like I had to stop watching Criminal Intent after this season’s premiere. CI without Goren is just wrong.

  25. Lady D says:

    Does anyone know who was the older Hollywood actress who said something along the lines of: It’s a shame when you stop wondering what they have between their legs instead of what they have between their ears? She was referring to Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. Summed up her lack of class in a sentence.
    I have always gotten a mommy dearest vibe from that woman. I badly hope for the sake of her adopted boys I’m wrong.

  26. hoodiegirl says:

    Last night’s episode was so boring. Thankfully she is only here for four episodes.

  27. Strawberry says:

    @hoodiegirl: Four episodes? Aaaaargh. I agree with above posters, her acting is laughable. Mariska Hargitay and Meloni seemed like Method actors in comparison.

  28. Victoria says:

    @Lady D
    I agree/suspect with Stone having a Mommy Dearest vibe. She adopts and always adopts blonde haired blue eyed boys. Also she doesnt strike me as being very maternal, I dunno.

  29. Kaiser says:

    I’m thinking about refusing to watch CI too! I’m trying to give the new girl a shot, WhatsHerFace Duck Lips British Girl. She’s not terrible, but the show has gotten kind of awful in general.

    Re: Stabler’s anger issues: I actually thought they were doing a better job with having Stabler actually go to therapy and deal with his mom & his daughter and stuff. The dude has a lot of issues!

  30. jc126 says:

    Yes, Stone is terrible.
    SVU has been bad for a while. I think people only watch it because of how likable the actors are, and I include ALL the regulars in that group. I hated Lahti, her story was cringe-worthy, and I didn’t like Connie Nielsen, either.

  31. bellaluna says:

    Kaiser, we’re not not alone. Lots of people have stopped watching CI. I like Jeff Goldblum, but you can’t substitute one quirky character for the original quirky character who built the series. And the only thing I liked Saffron Burrows in was that British show with Patsy and Edina.

  32. Jorja says:

    no sharon was not good. she was so bad she made meloni (who I think was trying to balance her bad acting) look like a ham. there was no chemistry between stone and meloni the dialog was brutal she couldn’t even walk right. when that guy struck her she would have been knocked into the middle of next week, but instead she rises like a cyborg, practically without blinking..mariska looked amused throughout although whomever did stone’s plastic surgery was darn good. #7 & 23 said she needs a strong director…i’ll buy that…i never watched any of her work so i’ll have to take their word for it, but law and order once a fine franchise has tanked…stick a fork in all of them (no donofrio!) they’re done.

  33. Billy Baloney says:

    Good in “Casino”? LOL, that was the hammiest performance I’ve ever seen in any movie, she’s a joke.

  34. sonola trip says:

    Sharon Stone has ALWAYS been a terrible actress. The only role she did well was in “Casino” and that is because Scorsese expertly channeled her “crazy” into the character. Other than that role, she has been terrible every time out of the gate. She got roles because of her looks and that was it.

  35. neelyo says:

    Kaiser, your hatred of Stone as a person makes you a biased and unreliable judge of her acting. The Entertainment Weekly article barely mentions her and certainly doesn’t blame her for the show’s faults.

    I have always liked Stone. As an actor and more importantly as a screen presence. She’s great in CASINO, BASIC INSTINCT, and good campy fun in several other movies (I wish she’d do more comedy). The camera loves her and she is the last movie star in the Joan Crawford, Faye Dunaway mold.

    And let’s face it: for any female actor of the last twenty years to have more than a handful of good movies (not just BO hits, but films that stand the test of time) is nothing short of a miracle.

  36. saphie says:

    this whole show is now terrible. why is everyone so mad all the time? Christine Latty was angry when she got there. It’s like a soap opera now. everyone is over acting.

  37. Anti-icon says:

    I used to watch all the L&O shows, but I fell off the wagon. It seems like there’s lots of headlines of weird sex stuff that can be ripped from—DListed just ran a blog about a gradma who’s marrying her biological grandson and they’re having a surrogate child. She’s 72 years old. If this ain’t an SVU script waiting to happen, I don’t know what is.

    Sharon hasn’t ever been known for her acting chops.

  38. Novaraen says:

    The whole show is full of bad actors…she fits right in.

  39. patgraham3 says:

    I must be one of the only ones who loves Jeff Goldblum!!! I loved VDO the most, but I think JG is doing a good job, given where he stepped in. He is, and always has been quirky, and I do like him in the part. Don’t care for his partner, but JG is fine!!!

  40. KateNonymous says:

    Having seen King Solomon’s Mines…yes. She has always been awful. She’s just had a couple of roles that didn’t require her to do much more than channel herself.

  41. Orbit says:

    Yes, she’s always sucked — in acting, in life, in zoo-themed birthday surprises.

  42. Feebee says:

    I think Sharon Stone needs very specific requirements in order for her to shine as an actress. She can be good but mostly she’s pretty average. With a bad script she’s even worse.

    Not only was the storyline and script shit last night but the story was almost identical to a “Cold Case” story several weeks ago.

    The SVU detectives seem to get a hard-on for a particular suspect very quickly and are getting more aggressive and nastier in their interrogations. They used to be more open minded – at least I thought Benson used to be.

    Time to either wrap this one up, or refresh it totally and stop changing the ADA every 5 mins… I wonder if Law and Order, LA (LA Law anyone?) will be any good.

  43. Mouse says:

    Um…speaking of “shows you must watch while inebriated”, did you ever see her in Total Recall? And I’m pretty sure the only reason she ever got roles to begin with was flashing her privates to Michael Douglas. Meloni looks absolutely thrilled to be in that pic.

  44. beardreader says:

    I remember seeing Casino for the first time, it was right before the internet had become accessible to me. I was blissfully ignorant of the details of celebs lives. I LOVED her after Casino.. then she disappeared for a few years, and when she reappeared it was the age of the gossip blog & well.. by that time she was a crazy old bat. I’m sure she was a crazy broad before the internet but I was thoroughly disappointed to see her screw with her face. I thought she wasn’t going to end up being a joke but shite, she has!

    Forgive my awful spelling, I can’t be arsed checking it.

  45. Tam says:

    I loved that she brought back Catherine Tramell for this role! I was so excited when she flashed Stabler the eye and used her “i’m going to kill you after we mate” tone of voice.

  46. Jazz says:

    Brad Dourif will always be Chucky to me.

    “Don’t f*** with the Chuck!”

  47. Sharon Stone hater says:

    totally agree about Sharon stone’s acting. It was completely awful! Ever line she says she sounds like a bitch and that stern look on her face never goes away. Please tell me she gets axed!

  48. zuzana says:

    I think she is quite good and fits with the show – very surprised about all these negative reactions