LOS ANGELES, Nov 22, (Agencies): Sharon Stone is setting the record straight regarding recent reports about her shouldering the financial burden of Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe's salaries during the filming of "The Quick and the Dead." Taking to Instagram this Monday, the 65-year-old actress confirmed that she indeed covered DiCaprio's salary for their 1995 Western film. This decision was made when the studio expressed disinterest in hiring the then up-and-coming actor, who, at the time, had only a few credits to his name, including a starring role in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape."

In her Instagram post, Stone clarified the situation: "To be clear about the article: Yes, I paid @leonardodicaprio’s salary out of mine. No, I didn’t pay @russellcrowe’s, but I did ask for the film to be delayed two weeks so we could get him here from Australia, and our producer @mikemedavoyup agreed to the delay. And to cover those expenses," she explained, concluding with a gracious "thank you."

This revelation echoes Stone's previous disclosure in her 2021 memoir, "The Beauty of Living Twice," where she recounted her efforts to secure the then 21-year-old DiCaprio for the movie. According to Stone, the studio's response to her insistence on casting him was that if she wanted him so badly, she could use her own salary to pay him – a challenge she accepted.

The story gained renewed attention when DiCaprio, questioned about the situation, expressed his gratitude to his former co-star. "I've thanked her many times," DiCaprio acknowledged. "I don't know if I sent her an actual, physical thank-you gift, but I cannot thank her enough." He praised Stone, also a producer on the film, as "amazing" and asserted that she had undertaken a similar gesture for Russell Crowe. Stone clarified this in her Instagram post.

DiCaprio's career subsequently soared, with starring roles in "Romeo & Juliet" and "Titanic," propelling him to newfound fame and establishing him as a household name.