Sharon Stone says people were 'brutally unkind' after her stroke

July 19 (UPI) -- Sharon Stone says people treated her in a "brutally unkind" way in the wake of her stroke.

The 61-year-old actress said in an interview with Variety published Friday that she "lost everything" and was "forgotten" following her "massive" brain aneurysm.

Stone had a stroke, which she said caused a nine-day brain bleed, in 2001. She said she's found little support from others during her recovery since.

"People treated me in a way that was brutally unkind," the star said. "From other women in my business to the female judge who handled my custody case, I don't think anyone grasps how dangerous a stroke is for women and what it takes to recover -- it took me about seven years."

Stone said her stroke had a huge effect on both her professional and personal life. Stone split from her second husband, Phil Bronstein, in 2003, and Bronstein initially received primary custody of the pair's son, Roan Joseph.

"[From] trying to keep custody of my son to just functioning -- to be able to work at all," the star said. "I was so grateful to [LVMH head] Bernard Arnault, who rescued me by giving me a Dior contract. But I had to remortgage my house. I lost everything I had."

"I lost my place in the business. I was like the hottest movie star, you know?" she added. "It was like Miss Princess Diana and I were so famous -- and she died and I had a stroke. And we were forgotten."

Stone now advocates to bring awareness to brain-aging diseases that disproportionally affect women, and attended the 2019 Women's Brain Health Initiative Wednesday in West Hollywood, Calif. She previously discussed her experience at the 2017 event, saying her life had taken an upward turn.

"I had lost my marriage, lost custody of my child, lost my place in line in the business, lost all my money because I was paying so many different things," the actress said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"I now have custody of my child again. I've paid off my house again. I'm back in the black. Several months ago, I rehired managers and agents," she shared. "To say that it's been an easy journey or a simple journey is not the case."

Stone is known for such films as Basic Instinct, Casino and Catwoman. She will star in the new Netflix series Ratched and the HBO series The New Pope, a sequel to The Young Pope.