Sharon Stone took to social media to talk about Leonardo DiCaprio's latest anecdote about her paying for his salary when they were co-stars, shedding some light on the matter.
The Oscar-nominated actress, 65, shared stills from the 1995 Western film The Quick and the Dead, directed by Sam Raimi, in which she starred alongside Leonardo, Gene Hackman, and Russell Crowe.
Leonardo, 49, told E! News on November 16 that he was forever grateful to Sharon for paying for his salary on the film, when he was still a young actor on the rise (this was two years before Titanic made him a household name).
"I've thanked her many times," he told the publication. "I don't know if I sent her an actual, physical thank you gift, but I cannot thank her enough."
He stated that she'd done the same for Russell, now 59, after having seen their work in 1993's What's Eating Gilbert Grape and 1992's Romper Stomper respectively.
"She said, 'These are the two actors I want to work with,'" Leonardo continued. "It's incredible. She's been a huge champion of cinema and giving other actors opportunities, so I'm very thankful."
Sharon provided a bit more clarity on the story, which quickly began making headlines, as she wrote on Instagram on Monday: "Yes, I paid @leonardodicaprio's salary out of mine.
"No, I didn't pay @russellcrowe's, but I did ask for the film to be delayed two weeks so we could get him here from Australia, and our producer @mikemedavoyup agreed to the delay. And to cover those expenses."
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She immediately was inundated with praise for showing her support to younger actors, with Hilary Swank commenting on her post: "You're a Badass Iconic Queen!!"
© ShutterstockTatum O'Neal applauded her for the move, and Holland Taylor also commented: "Shocked that I've never seen that picture. It looks thrilling and YOU look thrilling. Will watch it immediately!"
A fan added: "One of the smartest and most stunning stars we've ever had," with another saying: "Not only a great actress, and a great woman, you're also a beautiful soul," and a third also offering: "Happy reading how often you credit good people doing good things throughout your journey."
READ: Sharon Stone opens up about near-death experience: 'I lost everything'
In her 2021 memoir The Beauty of Living Twice, Sharon (who was also a producer on The Quick and the Dead) wrote about placing her bets on Leonardo for a role in the film.
© Getty Images"This kid named Leonardo DiCaprio was the only one who nailed the audition, in my opinion: he was the only one who came in and cried, begging his father to love him as he died in the scene," she wrote.
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"The studio said if I wanted him so much, I could pay him out of my own salary. So I did."
© Getty ImagesWhile the 1995 film wasn't an immediate critical or box office success, it has received retrospective critical acclaim for its performances and direction, being frequently cited as one of Sam Raimi's best alongside the Evil Dead franchise, the Spider-Man trilogy, and 1998's A Simple Plan.
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