China angry over Stone comment

Updated 17.39 Wed May 28 2008
Keywords: actress, movies, film, comments, controversy, sharon stone, china

Sharon Stone has sparked anger in China after suggesting the recent earthquake was a result of the government's treatment of Tibet.

Speaking during the Cannes Film Festival, she said: "I'm not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because I don't think anyone should be unkind to anyone else.

Stone reportedly has at least four movies coming up between now and 2010, including Streets of Blood, Five Dollars a Day and The Year of Getting to Know Us

"And then this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, 'is that karma?' When you're not nice that the bad things happen to you?'"

As a result, the founder of one of China's biggest cinema chains reportedly said his company would not show her films in his theatres, while internet forums are abuzz with criticism of the actress.

Ng See-Yuen, founder of the UME Cineplex chain and the chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, called Stone's comment "inappropriate," adding that actors should not bring personal politics to comments about a natural disaster that has left five million Chinese homeless.

Stone reportedly has at least four movies coming up between now and 2010, including Streets of Blood, Five Dollars a Day and The Year of Getting to Know Us.

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