'Put that f**king phone down': Sharon Stone blasts distracted attendees during Cannes 2026 gala speech

Sharon Stone called out guests at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday, May 18, 2026, after she saw people using their phones during her speech at the Better World Fund gala. The actor told attendees to stop looking at their screens and focus on the people around them. She urged the room to show care, speak with meaning, and hug strangers seated nearby as she spoke about hurt, fear, anger, and human connection.Variety posted the clip on X (formerly Twitter), and reported that Stone made the remarks while addressing attendees at the Cannes event. Her comments drew attention because she spoke directly to the room and asked people to take part in the moment rather than record it.“I want you to tell them — and I want you to mean it — that you’re sorry for the thing that hurt them,” Stone said.She continued, “That makes them afraid, mean, unkind, afraid when they’re alone, angry- put that f—king phone down. Turn to the person next to you. Turn to that man right there and hug him. Hug that man.”Stone did not keep the message general. She asked people to turn toward others and respond with care. She also linked pain and fear to the way people behave when they feel alone or angry.The moment became one of the most discussed clips from Cannes this week. Stone used blunt words, but the message was simple. She wanted guests to stop hiding behind their phones and pay attention to the people standing or sitting near them.Stone remains one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors. She rose to global fame with ‘Basic Instinct’, the 1992 erotic thriller in which she played Catherine Tramell. She earned major acclaim for Martin Scorsese’s ‘Casino’, where she starred as Ginger McKenna opposite Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci.Her earlier popular films also include ‘Total Recall’, in which she appeared with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and ‘The Quick and the Dead’, where she led a cast that featured Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio. Stone also appeared in ‘Sliver’, ‘The Specialist’, ‘The Mighty’, ‘Sphere’, ‘Catwoman’, ‘Broken Flowers’, ‘Lovelace’ and ‘The Disaster Artist’.She has worked across film and television for decades, moving between thrillers, dramas and comedies. In recent years, she has also stayed active at international film events and public forums.Stone is also linked to Season 3 of HBO’s ‘Euphoria’, adding another major television title to her long career. Her Cannes speech, however, drew attention for a different reason. It showed her using the stage to ask a room full of people to be present, listen and respond to one another.