Yeah this train of logic is fishy as hell. She took over the position from Elizabeth Taylor. The queen of Hollywood. A woman practically synonymous with the big screen and big money. Her making any association with Liz Taylor isn’t going to hurt her career.
Furthermore, it was 1995 not 1985. Magic Johnson revealed he had aids in 1991. 4 years earlier. Princess Diana opened an aids treatment center in London in 1987. 8 years earlier. By 1995 we were well into the Clinton administration. Does she think people don’t remember being alive in 1995?
So Sharon Stone took over for Taylor in 1995, born in 1958 puts her at at the age of 37. So as you said I’m not really surprised and I don’t doubt that to her it felt like her career took a hit in that era. Her bread and butter was sexy blue eyed blond haired love interest.
The woman had a hell of a career though.