Kevin Bacon Shocks 'Footloose' High Schoolers With His 'Crazy' Prom Idea
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 05: Kevin Bacon arrives at the 2019 GQ Men Of The Year event at The West Hollywood Edition on December 05, 2019 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Morgan Lieberman/FilmMagic)
The real-life, present-day students of Footloose's Payson High School are about to cut loose with the one and only Kevin Bacon.
The beloved actor has answered the call from the student body, who are preparing to host their final prom in the historic building before relocating at the conclusion of the 2023/24 academic year, sharing that he'll be kicking off his Sunday shoes at the end-of-term dance.
In honor of the famous film's 40th anniversary, the kids at Payson have been trying to catch Bacon's attention for months with an invitation to the prom, using the hashtag #bacontopayson on social media to share their scene recreations and dance-alongs and tease their plans for a prom event that will benefit the actor's SixDegrees.org charity.
On the Friday, March 22 airing of The Today Show, he finally addressed their efforts, calling into the morning news show from Atlanta to share he was accepting the invitation directly with the students crowded into the school's gymnasium.
“I have been so impressed with everything that’s been going on there with this crazy idea to get me to come back,” he said, acknowledging the impact both the film and school have had on his life.
“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," he continued. “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 finally confirmed, causing joyous chaos in the gym.
As some of the students expressed their excitement before he ended the call, Bacon added, "Thank you guys. Let's dance."
The actor has been gearing up for the big anniversary all year, sharing throwback photos from set, surprising Today viewers with a flashmob, and celebrating the end of the strike by recreating his iconic dance number.
We can't wait to see what he and some of his biggest fans come up with next!
Next: Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick Excite With Special Update for Fans 20 Years in the Making
