Brief
Michael Douglas says he never punched Paul Verhoeven on Basic Instinct set
The actor refutes rumours of a nose‑breaking punch, describing a blood‑splattered incident that halted filming.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Michael Douglas, 82, wrote in his new memoir One Helluva Ride that he never punched director Paul Verhoeven during a confrontation on the set of the 1992 thriller Basic Instinct. Douglas said he objected to what he perceived as Verhoeven giving co‑star Sharon Stone preferential treatment, which led to a heated exchange. He recounts both men standing face‑to‑face when Verhoeven suddenly suffered a severe nosebleed, an artery bursting and causing “a torrent of blood” that forced a pause in production for several days while the director recovered under medical orders. Douglas insists he only considered hitting Verhoeven and never made physical contact, adding that rumours of a broken nose stemmed from the visible bleeding. He also mentions hearing a separate, unverified story that Stone allegedly slapped Verhoeven after a screening, which Verhoeven denied. The Independent contacted Stone for comment but received no response.
Key facts
- Michael Douglas says he never punched Paul Verhoeven on the Basic Instinct set (independent.co.uk)
- A heated argument over Sharon Stone's treatment led to a sudden nosebleed for Verhoeven (independent.co.uk)
- The nosebleed halted filming for several days while Verhoeven recovered (independent.co.uk)
- Douglas heard rumors that Sharon Stone slapped Verhoeven, which the director denied (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Michael Douglas denies punching Basic Instinct director after fight over Sharon Stone”
