This surprised me. Apparently, Emma Thompson lost the lead role in ‘Basic Instinct’ to Sharon Stone. I just can’t picture Thompson sexing it up as Catherine Tramell. The film catapulted Sharon Stone into a Box Office star, and went on to gross $117 million (which is a very big deal in 1992). I also heard rumors that Meg Ryan was offered the lead role, but turned it down because she didn’t want to do the sex scenes. Meg Ryan has yet to confirm that though.