Kevin Bacon is going to prom.
The actor made the surprise announcement on Friday’s Today show that he will attend this year’s prom at the school where was filmed. This year’s celebration will be the last at the building, as the school will be relocating at the end of the academic year.
Footloose, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of its release this year, was filmed at a school in Payson, Utah. The students have actively tried to get Bacon to attend the prom by using the hashtag #bacontopayson on social media, re-creating scenes from the film, learning the Footloose dance and hosting an event on prom day to benefit Bacon’s SixDegrees.org foundation. Their efforts caught the actor’s attention.
He called the students from Atlanta to share his appreciation for all they have done and how it “hasn’t gone unnoticed.”
“I have been so impressed with everything that’s been going on there with this crazy idea to get me to come back,” he told the students. “I’ve been amazed at the work that all of you have been putting into this, with the musical and the flash mobs and the re-creations.”
“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,” he announced as the students cheered. He later teased “Let’s dance!”
While speaking with Today in 2022, Bacon had reflected on the legacy of the 1984 film, calling it a “great gift” to have been a part of the film. “I certainly took it very seriously when I was doing it and I love that people will still come up and say that they just showed it to their kids,” he said.
To celebrate the end of last year’s actors strike, Bacon re-created the film’s famous dance scene.
