Acclaimed actress Sharon Stone revealed on social media that she was initially cast and subsequently replaced from Paul Feig’s highly anticipated sequel, “Another Simple Favor,” in an open and quite sarcastic tweet.
The Amazon MGM Studios release, whose big premiere took place at the SXSW festival and will hit screens on May 1, reunites Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick in the starring roles. Stone’s participation in the film had not been made public, so her announcement came as an even greater surprise. In an Instagram post under an ENews reel for the film, Stone reported: “I LOVED being cast and taken out of my role unexpectedly for no reason at all LOVED it .”
This new thriller follows the same line of storytelling as its prequel, “A Simple Favor,” released in 2018. The film tells the story of Stephanie (played by Kendrick) and Emily (played by Lively), who reunite and journey to beachfront Italy as they go for Emily’s wedding to a suave billionaire. Stephanie, who has written a book about the events of the original film, meets Emily at a book signing where Emily, fresh out of prison, crashes the event to invite her to her wedding. The invitation could be part of a larger plan for revenge.
The sequel has an ensemble cast, with Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Joshua Satine, Ian Ho, and Kelly McCormack reprising their roles in the original film. Variety’s SXSW review stated that the sequel provides “more twists and less fun” than the original, comparing it to “Knives Out” merged with a cartoon take on “White Lotus.”
Stone’s sudden exit from the movie has left fans wondering about the behind-the-scenes politics. Though the reasons for her exit are not clearly known, her sarcastic social media update suggests frustration and disappointment.
The world of entertainment has had cases where actors have been hired and then dropped on account of artistic differences or reasons of production. But when an actress of Stone’s stature is involved in something of this kind, naturally it raises some eyebrows and curiosity.
Undeterred by this bump in the road, Stone’s storied career remains going strong. Praised for her unforgettable performances in “Basic Instinct” and “Casino,” she has long been lauded for her versatility and presence on screen. Her recent work, including roles in critically acclaimed shows and indie features, continues to solidify her status as a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.
Fans are still waiting to see how “Another Simple Favor” will go down and if Stone’s public announcement will shed light on the mysterious details of her termination. For now, her Twitter post acts as a reminder of the uncertainty of the entertainment world and the strength it takes to thrive within it.