Steven Seagal is no stranger to controversy. While he’s hailed as a martial arts icon, the actor has had a notorious reputation of getting embroiled in scandals. From bewildering stories of unprofessionalism to numerous s*xual misconduct allegations, Seagal has been at the top of endless gossip, albeit mostly foul.
Owing to his problematic history, the Under Siege star has made more than a few enemies throughout his career, especially out of his co-workers. Take Sharon Stone for instance, she did one movie with Seagal and had such an atrocious experience that fans never saw the two stars share a screen again.
Above the Law – Steven Seagal Joined Forces With Sharon Stone
Written, directed, and produced by Andrew Davis, Above the Law, also known as Nico: Above the Law is a crime action film starring Steven Seagal as a former CIA agent, Nico Toscani, and Sharon Stone as Sara Toscani. The rest of the ensemble cast includes the likes of Henry Silva, Pam Grier, Nicholas Kusenko, and Chelcie Ross.
Propped up on a budget of $7.5 million, the movie marked Seagal’s debut as an actor who also served as a co-producer on the project. Stone, on the other hand, had already dipped her toes in the film industry long before the martial artist entered it.
The Golden Globe winner kicked off her career with a role in Woody Allen’s 1980 rom-com, Stardust Memories, before landing her first speaking part in Wes Craven’s 1981 horror movie, Deadly Blessing. Stone’s breakout role, however, can be attributed to to Paul Verhoeven’s Basic Instinct (1992).
While Above the Law is by no means Seagal’s best work, it still turned out to be somewhat decent especially since it was his first time testing the waters of Hollywood. For his co-star though, it might as well have been one of her worst experiences ever.
Sharon Stone Had A Sordid Time Working With Steven Seagal
Seagal, 71, has been infamously mentioned by innumerable actors and celebrities for being a an incredibly difficult person to work with. And as it turns out, Stone had the displeasure of witnessing the same firsthand while filming Above the Law.
In a 1999 interview with Movieline, when asked about her experience of collaborating with the Aikido expert, all Stone, 65, had to say was that “Steven Seagal is an individual who isn’t worth the ink it would take to write about him.” But for the most part, she was tight-lipped about it at large. “Like my grandma Lela always said, ‘If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all,'” she remarked.
While she didn’t dwell into the gory details stemming from the time she spent on set with Seagal, the Total Recall actress would later go on to write about it in her 2021 autobiography, The Beauty of Living Twice. However, in that account too, Stone merely brushed over the matter. “When I worked with him on the movie Above the Law, he told me not to stand too close, as I was standing in his ‘chi,'” she wrote.
Well, at least we know why we never saw them together on the screen again.
Above the Law can be rented on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Buffalo News (via Nickiswift)
