Sharon Stone opens up on facing backlash over AIDS activism: ‘destroyed my career’

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Sharon Stone opens up on facing backlash over AIDS activism: ‘destroyed my career’
Sharon Stone opens up on facing backlash over AIDS activism: ‘destroyed my career’

Sharon Stone has recently broken her silence on facing backlash over HIV/AIDS activism, saying it “destroyed” her acting career.

Deadline reported that the actress did not work for “eight years: after taking over for late pal and then-amfAR chairwoman Elizabeth Taylor in 1995.

Recalling the time at Saudia Arabia's Red Sea Film Festival, Sharon shared, “I had pretty big shoes to fill with Elizabeth Talyor at amfAR. My publicist told me that time ‘If you do this, it will destroy your career’.”

The reason, Sharon disclosed at the event was “at the time you weren’t allowed to talk about AIDS”

“She got hives on her neck. I said, ‘I know, but I am going to do it, you're gonna kill me.' She replied, 'And if you don't, I am gonna kill you,’” recounted the actress.

Sharon was later asked to take over for Elizabeth’s work for next years. However, the actress pointed out that she “had no idea of the resistance, cruelty, hate and oppression that we would face”.

“So, I put on a hazmat suit and I had them show me it [the virus] under the microscope, remarked Sharon.

She continued, “I thought I really need to see this thing that is making everyone go nuts.”

“I stayed for 25 years until we had AIDS remedies being advertised on TV like we have aspirin,” mentioned Sharon.

The Flight Attendant actress noted, “It did destroy my career. I didn't work for eight years. I was told if I said condom again, funding would be removed.”

“I was threatened repeatedly, my life was threatened, and I decided I had to stick with it,” she stated.

Sharon added that she had no regrets as now “37 million are living with HIV AIDS, living functioning and healthy”.