Actress Sharon Stone has revealed that she was misled about a controversial scene in her 1992 film “Basic Instinct,” in which she appears on screen without underwear while crossing her legs.

In an excerpt from her forthcoming memoir, titled “The Beauty of Living Twice,” published by Vanity Fair, Stone described how she was initially hesitant to remove her underwear for the scene but was reassured by director Paul Verhoeven that her crotch would not be visible on camera.

However, after watching the finished film at a preview screening with the entire crew and all the agents and producers involved with the film, Stone saw that her crotch was indeed visible and took action.

“That was how I saw my v-gina-shot for the first time, long after I’d been told, ‘We can’t see anything – I just need you to remove your panties, as the white is reflecting the light, so we know you have panties on,'” Stone wrote in her memoir.

“I went to the projection booth, slapped Paul across the face, left, went to my car, and called my lawyer, Marty Singer.”

According to Stone, her lawyer informed her that she could seek to stop the film from being released through an injunction, as production regulations set by the Screen Actors Guild – the American actors union – state that it is illegal to film up an actress’ dress without their consent.

However, Stone ultimately chose to allow the scene to be included in the film because she felt it was right for the character.

“I let Paul know of the options Marty had laid out for me. Of course, he vehemently denied that I had any choices at all. I was just an actress, just a woman; what choices could I have?” Stone wrote.

“But I did have choices. So I thought and thought and I chose to allow this scene in the film. Why? Because it was correct for the film and for the character; and because, after all, I did it.”

Verhoeven has previously denied Stone’s claim that she was unaware of his intentions for the scene.

In a 2017 interview with ICON, he said: “Sharon is lying. Any actress knows what she’s going to see if you ask her to take off her underwear and point there with the camera.

“I am Dutch, so we act with total normality towards nud ity. And Sharon was carried away by this relaxed attitude.

“But when she saw the scene surrounded by other [American] people, including her agent and her publicist, she went crazy.”

In “Basic Instinct,” Stone plays an enigmatic crime novelist who becomes the prime suspect in the brutal murder of a popular musician.

The controversial scene in question takes place during an interrogation by the lead detective, played by Michael Douglas, in which Stone crosses and uncrosses her legs multiple times.

The film was a commercial and critical success upon its release, grossing over $352 million at the box office and receiving multiple award nominations.

Stone’s performance in the film garnered her widespread acclaim and cemented her status as a leading actress in Hollywood.

However, the film has also faced criticism for its depiction of violence and sexual content, with some arguing that it objectifies and exploits women.

The scene in question has been frequently cited as an example of this exploitation and has remained a source of controversy for decades.