2008-07-15 13:04:08 - Sharon Stone has angered animal rights group PETA after requesting a tarantula was defanged for one of her movie scenes.

Sharon Stone has once again angered animal rights group PETA. A former co-star of the actress has revealed she once had a tarantula defanged 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.