Sharon Stone Breaks Silence on Death of Ex-Boyfriend Steve Bing

Actress Sharon Stone spoke out about the death of her former boyfriend Steve Bing. The producer and financier, who also dated Elizabeth Hurley, died on June 22 after taking his own life at age 55. Bing was the founder of Shangri-La Entertainment, which produced the films Rock the Kasbah, Hotel Noir and Rules Don’t Apply. He also co-wrote the 2003 movie, Kangaroo Jack.

In an interview with Extra last week, Stone told Billy Bush it was “really hard” to hear about Bing’s death. “I had a really hard time with it,” the Casino actress said. “He’s a complicated person who I didn’t think always made good decisions… It’s a tough one. It’s a very tough one.”

Stone also discussed a near-death experience she had when she was 17 and she was working at a fast-food restaurant. “I was filling the iron with water to iron my uniform and we had our well and the well got hit with lightning and the lightning came up through the water,” Stone recalled. “And I got thrown across the kitchen… And hit the refrigerator and I was knocked out. And my mother just belted me — just, like, boom! — belted me and brought me around.”

Bing was found dead at a luxury apartment building in Century City, California. The cause of death was multiple blunt trauma by suicide, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner and Coroner’s Office. Sources close to Bing told TMZ he was recently depressed about a lack of human contact during quarantine.

After news broke of Bing’s death, Hurley posted a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram. The couple shared son Damian Hurley, 18. Hurley said the two most recently spoke in April when Damian celebrated his birthday. Hurley was “saddened beyond belief” by Bing’s death, adding that their time together “was very happy” and she shared pictures of their time together “because although we went through some tough times, it’s the good, wonderful memories of a sweet, kind man that matter.”

Damian also shared a statement on Instagram, thanking those who reached out following his father’s death. “I’m trying to reply to as many of you as I can, but please know I will always remember your kindness,” he wrote. “This is a very strange and confusing time and I’m immensely grateful to be surrounded by my phenomenal family and friends.”

If you or someone you know are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.