Robert De Niro Pushed Sharon Stone Further Than Expected on 'Casino' Set — The Untold Behind-the-Scenes Story
However, Joe Pesci’s loyalty stood out clearly.
You’d think making one of the greatest gangster films of all time would be pure cinematic bliss. But for Sharon Stone, Casino was far from a smooth ride — and the reason has a lot to do with her co-star, Robert De Niro.
I’ve always thought of De Niro as the ultimate actor’s actor. Turns out, so did Sharon Stone — until he pushed her buttons in a way that almost derailed her dream.
"I always wanted to work with Bob," she admitted in her recent Business Insider interview. "I had auditioned with him many times before Casino. It was my dream to work with De Niro and hold my own."
That dream, though, came with a sting. Stone described a scene that still gets under her skin:
"There’s a scene in the movie where we’re sitting across a table arguing, and he says to me, 'You’re a good actress, you know that?'And I remember… how furious it made me because it was my dream to do it, and then he challenged me at the table. I remember thinking, 'Oh, buddy. Not today, pal."'
Stone doesn’t accuse him of cruelty — but she does say De Niro "knew every button to go for" because he’s "the greatest observational actor" who can "crawl under your skin and get in there."
That’s the "crossing the line" she’s talking about — not in a scandalous sense, but in the way he deliberately provoked her in-character, making the scene a personal test. For some, that’s genius acting. For others? Emotional trench warfare.
Now, contrast that with her time on set with Joe Pesci. According to Stone, Pesci wasn’t just a co-star — he was a career ally.
"Joey really, really fought for me to be seen and get the job," she said. "So I have a serious loyalty to Joey because he’s always backed me. It was always Joey and Jimmy Caan. They backed me since I was 19."
The difference? De Niro lit a fire under her with challenges. Pesci lit one by having her back. Apples and oranges, as she puts it — but if you ask me, you can see which fruit she’s more likely to keep in her basket.
And yet, that clash with De Niro is part of what made Casino so electric. Sometimes the line between artistic tension and personal aggravation is razor-thin — and that’s exactly why the film still burns off the screen.
