Paul Verhoeven, the Dutch filmmaker known for directing movies such as Elle, Showgirls, and Starship Troopers, has denied claims made by actress Sharon Stone in her memoir that he was slapped by her over the infamous leg uncrossing scene in the 1992 film Basic Instinct.

In the scene, Stone’s character uncrosses her legs during a police interrogation and reveals to a group of officers that she is not wearing underwear.

Stone claimed in her book that Verhoeven had asked her to remove her white underwear for the scene because it was “reflecting the light,” but had not told her that the full frontal shot would be used in the movie.

She alleges that when she saw the scene at a test screening, she “went to the projection booth, slapped Paul across the face, left, went to my car, and called my lawyer.”

However, Verhoeven has called Stone’s claims “nonsense,” stating that she never slapped him. He claims that the scene was inspired by a woman he had met while studying at university who approached him and his friends and “opened her legs.”

When Verhoeven told the woman she was exposing herself, she allegedly replied, “Of course – that’s why I’m doing it!”

Verhoeven says he shared this story with Stone over dinner during the shoot, and she thought it would be a great idea to include it in the film.

He claims that the leg uncrossing scene was not originally in the script, but was added after he discussed it with Stone.

Verhoeven’s comments on the matter come as he attends the Cannes Film Festival with a period drama about a lesbian nun experiencing strange, erotic visions.

The film is one of many featured in a preview of this year’s festival.

Despite the controversy surrounding the leg uncrossing scene in Basic Instinct, Verhoeven and Stone are reportedly on good terms at present.

Verhoeven said of the matter, “We are on good terms, Sharon and I, at the moment, so I would put [that story] in the category of ‘My memory is this, and your memory is that.'”