Michelle Obama Comforts 'Ashamed' Sharon Stone After Actress Tearfully Admits She 'Stole to Eat' During Desperate Early Days in NYC
Michelle Obama shared comforting words to Sharon Stone after the actress broke down and made her stealing confession.
Oct. 1 2026, Published 4:20 p.m. ET
Sharon Stone broke down in tears as she revealed she was once so broke during her early days as a struggling New York model that she resorted to stealing food to survive, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Basic Instinct icon, 68, told Michelle Obama about those desperate days on the Wednesday, September 30, episode of the former first lady's IMO podcast, while the former White House resident gave her plenty of comfort and wise words of support.
Sharon Stone Arrived in NYC With '$50 and a Suitcase'
Stone knew she was poor when she arrived in NYC but was excited about her future.
Calling herself a "country bumpkin," Stone recalled heading to New York from rural Pennsylvania at the age of 19 and seeking out legendary modeling agency owner Eileen Ford after her mom saw her appear on The Merv Griffin Show.
"I went with $50; I had $50 and a suitcase," the Casino star said about her humble arrival in the Big Apple.
Despite the fact that she was living in "extreme poverty," Stone was "so excited and thrilled, and I was just gonna make it," about her overwhelming self-confidence.
Sharon Stone 'Ashamed' and 'Embarrassed' That She Stole Food to Eat
Stone broke down crying while making her tearful stealing confession.
Needing to pinch her pennies, Stone explained, "I bought roller skates at a thrift store because I couldn't afford cabs or subways. And I roller-skated top to bottom of New York" so that she could get to her bookings faster.
“And I hit every phone booth for change that people would leave. And collected leftover dimes, nickels, and quarters. Every phone booth, I hit every phone booth to collect change and found a lot of change."
"And sometimes I went with my roommate, and I would distract the... I'm embarrassed about it now, but I would just distract the cashier while my roommate stole food to eat. I'm ashamed, I'm embarrassed," Stone confessed, grabbing a tissue as she began to cry.
Sharon Stone's Stealing Past Is a 'Big Part' of Why She 'Gives Back' Today
The actress wept while making her stealing confession to Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson.
"I distracted the cashier so that we could steal food to eat," the Oscar nominee shared while weeping.
Obama tried to comfort Stone, assuring her, "Oh my gosh, you were surviving," as her brother and co-host Craig Robinson pleaded, "Please don't be ashamed."
The Flight Attendant star admitted the guilt continues to haunt her and is one of the reasons she's so philanthropic.
"It's a big part of why I give back. I want to give back way more than I took. Because I'm embarrassed and ashamed that I stole what I did. I stole to eat," Stone continued while crying to a sympathetic Obama and Robinson.
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Michelle Obama Reminds Sharon Stone That She was 'Lucky' to be 'Pretty' and 'White'
Obama reminded Stone she was lucky to be 'pretty' and 'white' while breaking into modeling.
Stone also revealed why she became so overcome with emotion while recounting her painful past to Obama, confessing: "That's a lot to say in front of you, because I admire you so much."
The Becoming author quickly reassured the Euphoria actress there was no reason to feel ashamed. "Here you are, a kid in New York starting out in the modeling career. You know, it's like, this is how people get desperate. And how bad things happen to good people. It happens every day," Obama said. "I think it's important for you to tell the story of who you had to be. There isn't shame in it."
Obama also reminded Stone that she had been fortunate to be "pretty" and "white" while trying to break into the industry. The blonde bombshell readily agreed, responding, "So lucky," before revealing her fortunes changed when she began commanding "$5,000 a day" and was signed to Ford's elite "Special Bookings" division, a precursor to the supermodel era that followed.
