Sharon Stone performed as the fictional character Catherine Tramell.
Catherine Tramell is a fictional character and main antagonist in the film Basic Instinct ( 1992 ) and its sequel , Basic Instinct 2 ( 2006 ) . Sharon Stone . She became a sex symbol and rose to international recognition with her starring role as Catherine Tramell in another Verhoeven film , the erotic thriller Basic Instinct ( 1992 ) , for which she received her first Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama .