Sharon Stone says her AIDS activism ‘destroyed’ her career

Sharon Stone says her AIDS charity work “destroyed” her career.

The 64-year-old actress first became involved with amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, back in the 1990s and in 1995 she was asked to stand in for former chairwoman Dame Elizabeth Taylor at the organisation’s annual fundraising event in France – but Sharon has now revealed her devotion to the cause left her without work for eight years.

Speaking during a talk at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia on Friday (02.12.22), she explained: “I had pretty big shoes to fill with Elizabeth Talyor at amfAR … When I was approached in Cannes, I was like, ‘Can I take Elizabeth’s place?’”

The actress discussed the role with her former publicist Cindy Berger, with Sharon admitting the PR guru cautioned her against it, saying: “She said, ‘If you do this, it will destroy your career’. 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.”

Sharon explained she faced a lot of “hate” over her activism on behalf of AIDS/HIV research causes – revealing it harmed her acting career and she even faced death threats.

She went on: “I had no idea of the resistance, cruelty, hate and oppression that we would face … “I stayed for 25 years until we had AIDS remedies being advertised on TV like we have aspiri. 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.”