Sharon Stone Turns Awards Speech Into 'Now You Know' Moment

Sharon Stone turned what should have been a routine awards acceptance into one of the most unforgettable moments of the night. 

While accepting an honorary prize in Los Angeles earlier this month, the veteran actress addressed a disrespectful encounter she experienced moments before taking the stage. 

What followed was not just a sharp rebuke, but a wider message about awareness, purpose, and accountability, delivered with the blunt confidence that has long defined Stone’s career.

Stone was honored with the Timeless Award at the 9th Astra Film Awards on January 9, but the evening took an unexpected turn when she opened her acceptance speech by referencing a tense exchange at her table. 

According to a newly circulating video, the 67-year-old revealed that a group of younger attendees appeared unaware of who she was and openly questioned her presence.

As she stepped to the microphone, Stone addressed the situation head-on, saying, “And to the kids at my table who wondered, ‘Who the f-ck took that chair?’ Now you know.”

The comment sparked immediate laughter from the audience, though the moment quickly shifted from humor to discomfort as she continued explaining what had happened moments earlier.

As the laughter settled, Sharon Stone went into detail about what transpired shortly before she stepped to the microphone. 

She explained that someone approached her directly and challenged her right to be seated where she was. 

The “Casino” star recalled being asked, “Who are you and why are you sitting here?” a remark that drew audible gasps from the crowd. 

Stone then added that the interaction escalated, recounting, “As she said, ‘F-ck you!’” 

The actress did not name the individuals involved, and they have not been publicly identified. 

Still, the exchange clearly struck a nerve, and Stone’s blunt delivery turned the uncomfortable moment into a defining highlight of the ceremony.

Rather than ending the confrontation there, Stone used it to pivot toward a broader message. 

She reshaped the incident as an opportunity for growth, welcoming the younger attendees into a larger conversation about responsibility and purpose.

Stone explained that she began her own activism when her fame first arrived, telling the audience, “More importantly, and more to the point, I’d like to say welcome to you. And I’d like to say, this is an opportunity.”

She encouraged the group to recognize what visibility and privilege can be used for, adding, “And I’d like to give you an opportunity to start your activism work now that your consciousness has kicked in.”

The Hollywood star made her point unmistakably clear, stating, “Because fame without awareness, success without purpose, is pointless.”

The speech then shifted from the present to Sharon Stone’s own past, as she reflected on the determination that helped shape her career. 

She reminded the audience that success rarely arrives by accident, revealing she wasn’t the first person they offered the movie “Basic Instinct” to during casting in the early 1990s.

Stone explained that what ultimately set her apart was preparation and persistence, recalling, “But I was the person who got her manager to bring her to the office and get her the script, and I was the person who was prepared, because I had the script for eight months.”

She emphasized the effort she put into securing the role, adding that she had a manager to call every day, because she wanted that part.

Using her own experience as an example, Stone urged artists to trust their instincts and fight for opportunities where they believe they can make an impact.

As her speech approached the 10-minute mark, Stone leaned fully into her larger message about action over words. 

“There’s a lot of talk right now about what we think is right, and what we think is wrong, and how we feel about everything,” she noted. 

The “Total Recall” actress then cut through the noise with a blunt directive. 

“F-ck off! All your hot air doesn’t mean anything. But all your gifts and all your opportunities mean everything,” she said.

Stone urged the audience to focus on action over opinion, telling them to “Shut the front door and get to work. Do something with what you have. Use your talent and become a purpose.”

She also reflected on her blue-collar upbringing in a struggling Pennsylvania town, explaining how limited opportunity and widespread crime pushed her to leave in search of something more. 

Circling back to the earlier incident, Stone closed with advice about integrity and self-worth, encouraging everyone to “carry home someone you’re proud of.”

She ended the speech by returning to the moment that sparked it all, delivering her final line to thunderous applause, “Here’s what I’m going to tell you: You know who I am now.”