Kevin Bacon Is Returning To Footloose High School For Epic Prom Celebration

Four decades after Kevin Bacon appeared in the iconic movie Footloose, current students at Payson High School in Utah, USA, where the movie was filmed, launched a campaign to invite the star to their prom. After much determination, their efforts finally paid off when Bacon himself confirmed during an appearance on the Today Show that he would indeed attend their upcoming prom, which happens to coincide with the film’s 40th anniversary. Using the hashtag #BaconToPayson, students launched a social media campaign to influence the actor to join their celebration before the school relocates by the year’s end. Bacon, who played Ren McCormack in the 1984 film, delighted the school by announcing his upcoming visit via video chat.

In a live video chat, the Tremors star stated, “I have been so impressed with everything that’s been going on there with this crazy idea to get me to come back. I don’t need to say but the movie and Payson High School is a big part of my life. I’ve been amazed at the work that all of you have been putting into this, with the musical the flash mobs and the recreations. It hasn’t gone unnoticed by me, not to mention the fact that you tied in SixDegrees.org, our foundation and are trying to figure out ways to give back to your community. It’s really inspirational, so thank you. Thank you and I’m gonna come. I gotta come. Thank you guys, let’s dance.”

Right before the call ended, Kevin Bacon couldn’t help but acknowledge the long time has passed since the release of Footloose. He said, “I can’t believe it’s been 40 years but what you gonna do.” In a touching gesture, the students plan to host an event where the donations will go to Bacon’s charity. Now, students are eagerly preparing to recreate scenes from the movie and learn the iconic dance.

In a Podcrushed podcast interview last year, Kevin Bacon spoke about his experience auditioning for the role of Ren McCormack in Footloose and admitted that he had no clue it was a dance movie. He confessed that he wasn’t trained as a dancer and wasn’t even aware of the film’s theme. At the time, he thought the movie was another simple project. When it came to dancing scenes, Bacon improvised a lot. Despite the movie giving him stardom, the actor initially refrained from associating with the movie. He thought of himself as a serious actor and was conflicted with the sudden change into a pop star image.

Directed by Herbert Ross, the movie featured Bacon alongside Lori Singer, who played his love interest in the film. Recently, Singer shared her eagerness for a sequel with the reunion of original cast members.