The main female character in Basic Instinct, played by Sharon Stone. Catherine Tramell is a filthy rich beautiful writer, people close to whom have a tendency to die untimely and violent deaths. When her last boyfriend is murdered with an ice pick, she becomes a suspect. SFPD detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) is on the case, and soon, they begin an affair. In the words of Nick's psychologist Beth Garner(Jeanne Tripplehorn), "She's evil! She's brilliant!"