Kevin Bacon might be a face of versatility. From heart-pounding thrillers to emotionally charged dramas, he’s carved a path through the movie industry for decades, solidifying his status as a Hollywood Heavyweight.
But even the most celebrated actors face moments of desperation, where the paycheck outweighs artistic passion. One such time, Bacon found himself reluctantly attached to a project. However, as fate had it, it turned out to be a cult classic, a turn of events for which Bacon is undeniably grateful.
Kevin Bacon Had Begrudgingly Done The Cult Classic Tremors
Tremors is a 1990 horror-comedy gem that throws Kevin Bacon and co-star Fred Ward into the shoes of Val McKee and Earl Bassett, two resourceful handymen yearning to escape the sleepy desert town of Perfection, Nevada. Their plans for departure are derailed by a series of bizarre deaths and unsettling “tremors”.
Tremors blend humor with suspense, and its practical effects (a rarity today) make the creatures feel real. While the movie played a huge role in pushing Bacon’s career, he was not very interested in the role. He was, however, in financial need and still ended up picking up the movie. Speaking to EW, Bacon revealed how he had no choice but to say yes to the role.
“I had begrudgingly done it,” “I was broke, I had a kid on the way, and my mom had gotten sick, and I felt like I didn’t have a choice — I was like, ‘Jesus, this is a movie about underground monsters, how far I’ve fallen.'”
While Bacon was not a huge fan of the script, he was excited once the production started describing it as a “magical time”.
“Working with Fred Ward and welcoming his first child. Plus, puppets! “The super cool thing about Tremors is that Tremors is all practical effects,” he says. “It was all guys in puppets or people with things on their hands, and wires being pulled. It was ingenious. Acting with a puppet requires some acting, but we’re professional pretenders.
Tremors was a box office failure upon its release. However, the movie was perhaps ahead of its time and earned its due recognition eventually. It is now a cult classic with little to no naysayers.
What Is Next For Kevin Bacon?
Kevin Bacon shows no signs of slowing down! Up next for the ever-busy actor are two intriguing projects. First, he’ll be seen in the action-comedy sequel, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Fans of the Eddie Murphy classic will be thrilled to see the return of Axel Foley, and Bacon’s casting in a new role adds another layer of excitement. The movie will be released on July 3, 2024, on Netflix.
He also joins the star-studded cast of the horror film MaXXXine. This serves as the final chapter in Ti West’s chilling X trilogy, following the events of the previous films. Not many details are currently known about the movie, including its release timeline.
Fans can stream Tremors on Amazon Prime Video.
