Jul 15, 2008, 4:00 GMT
Sharon Stone has once again angered animal rights group PETA.
Sharon Stone arrives at the festival palace for the gala screening of US director Steven Soderbergh's film 'Che' running in competition at the 61st edition of the Cannes Film Festival, 21 May 2008, in Cannes, France. EPA/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO
A former co-star of the actress has revealed she once had a tarantula defanged and their pinchers cut off each of its eight legs after refusing to film a scene with it.
Ernest Borgnine, who starred with the 'Basic Instinct' actress in horror film 'Deadly Blessing', revealed: "Sharon wanted the spider's pincers removed."
News of the incident - which took place in 1981 - has horrified animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
PETA president Ingrid Newkirk blasted: "She chose to make a tiny insect an amputee. Perhaps she should change her name legally to 'Heart of Stone.' "
Sharon's spokesperson has laughed off the incident, saying: "If the tarantula was a male, we could add him to her list of her extraordinary leading men, including Richard Chamberlain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Gere and Dustin Hoffman."
Earlier this month, the organisation wrote to Sharon to offer her a free brain scan, saying they were determined to discover why she "demonstrates a lack of empathy" towards animals by wearing fur.
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