On Friday (July 14), Sharon Stone responded to Madonna's criticism of her career after a letter from the '90s was published and showed Madonna calling Stone and fellow music icon Whitney Houston "mediocre."

In the letter, the pop star expressed frustration over Stone and Houston's success, writing, "It’s so unequivocally frustrating to read that Whitney Houston has the music career I wish I had and Sharon Stone has the film career I’ll never have. Not because I want to be these women because I’d rather die, but they’re so horribly mediocre, and they’re always being held up as paragons of virtue and some sort of measuring stick to humiliate me."

Writing on Instagram, Stone first slammed the fact that the Queen of Pop's private letter had been made public, before giving a measured and compassionate response.

"First, I think it’s absurd that anyone is publishing your private letters. Therefore; I publish publicly. Know that I am your friend. I have wished to be a rock star in some private moments… have felt as mediocre as you described," the actress wrote.

"We know, as only those who have survived so long that owning our own mediocrity is the only way to own our own strengths; to become all that we both have become," she added. "I love and adore you; won’t be pitted against you by any invasion of our personal journeys."

See Stone's heartfelt message, below:

Madonna's letter about Stone and Houston wasn't the only private correspondence to published this month: Last week, a letter written by Tupac about his one-time relationship with Madonna surfaced publicly.

In the letter, dated January 15, 1995, the late rapper explained that the reason for his breakup with Madonna was because she was white, and he felt that him dating a white woman would, at the time, be a letdown to his fans.

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