Kevin Bacon shot to stardom with the 1984 movie Footloose, marking a pivotal moment in his career. The film, which remains one of his most celebrated works, revolves around a teenager in a small town determined to challenge a strict ban on dancing. With Lori Singer in the movie, Footloose is more than just a mere movie; it’s a captivating journey that effortlessly transports its audience back to the lively atmosphere of the eighties.
Despite initially garnering mixed reviews from critics, Footloose has since solidified its place as a timeless cult classic. However, the movie almost escaped the door of being banned for one specific reason. In an interview with The Daily Beast, Singer narrated what led to that stage.
Footloose Filming Fun and Frolics Almost Went Wrong
The rebellious spirit of Footloose wasn’t confined to the screen. Singer, one of the film’s stars, recounts a playful incident that occurred near the end of filming. After a night out, a group of cast members, including Singer and the late Chris Penn, decided to cool off with a skinny dip in the motel pool. However, their attempt at post-work fun landed them in hot water, literally.
“Everyone took off their clothes. I did, and I know Chris Penn did,” said Singer to The Daily Beast.
“We had to climb over a chain link fence to get into the pool. We were laughing and yelling, and somebody called the police. We had to get out of there as fast as we could and get back to our rooms before the police came.”
Had the cast been apprehended, their daring escapade would likely not have been well-received by director Herbert Ross—particularly considering the movie had already faced a temporary shutdown due to conservative local authorities objecting to on-set n*dity in a shower sequence.
Recalling the challenges of shooting in Provo, Utah, Singer reflects,
“The town was very strict with very specific rules. They heard some of the boys were naked and demanded to see the shot and know what was going on. For two or three days, we were shut down, waiting to see what was going to happen.”
Footloose marked a turning point in Kevin Bacon’s career, propelling him into the limelight as he portrayed Ren McCormack, a dance-loving teenager navigating the restrictions of a small town where rock music and dancing were forbidden.
While critics held varying opinions, the film proved to be a box-office success grossing $80 million (Per The Numbers) in the domestic market and becoming the seventh highest-grossing film of 1984.
Finding Fame Uncomfortable: Kevin Bacon Reflects on Footloose Experience
Though achieving widespread recognition had been a long-held dream for Kevin Bacon, his experience with fame following the success of Footloose was unexpectedly uncomfortable. In an interview on The Corp podcast with Alex Rodriguez and Barstool Sports, the actor openly discussed his feelings towards the sudden shift in his life.
Bacon said he thought of himself as an actor, not a pop star:
“I’d put aside the pop star idea because I’d fallen in love with the craft of acting, you know, and I wanted to be Meryl Streep. I didn’t want to be David Cassidy, and so when the movie came out, I was a pop star.”
Bacon, who admired Meryl Streep and aspired to emulate her, found himself thrust into the pop star persona he had tried to avoid when Footloose became a sensation. This unexpected public image misalignment left Bacon feeling uncomfortable, as the perception of him as a pop star contradicted his vision of a serious actor.
Following Footloose, the Philadelphia native went on to star in various films, including Apollo 13, A Few Good Men, Mystic River, and X-Men: First Class. Additionally, he ventured into television with his role in the series I Love Dick. However, Bacon’s career trajectory did not unfold as anticipated.
Watch Footloose on Prime Video.
