When attending nuptials, Kevin Bacon has a polite request for the disc jockeys: refrain from encouraging him to take the floor with the Footloose theme song in an attempt to overshadow the newlyweds. Fondly reminiscent of 80’s classics such as Friday the 13th, Diner, She’s Having a Baby, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, the actor catapulted to stardom with Footloose, where portrayed a cosmopolitan adolescent who relocated to a small, pious town that forbade dancing.
The 65 year-old actor remarks, “It feels surreal to acknowledge the 40th anniversary of Footloose, I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of those films.”
Bacon appears as an ideal fit for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, the fourth segment of the Eddie Murphy-led, fast-paced, humorous series that debuted the same year Footloose did. On the newest Beverly Hills Cop iteration, Bacon notes, “I appreciate their ability to maintain the original’s tone without it feeling dated, a feeling akin to the approach taken to Top Gun: Maverick.”
Axel Foley, Murphy’s unconventional police officer, partners with his alienated daughter, Jane (portrayed by Taylour Paige), to track down Axel’s old friend Billy (played by Judge Reinhold). The movie brings back fan favourites like Paul Reiser, John Ashton and Bronson Pinchot. Bacon adopts the role of an over-dressed, corrupt police captain.
On the subject of portraying villains, an enquiry he often encounters, Bacon states, “Writing for the bad guy often seems to be more developed. Protagonists are typically just portrayed as heroes; but with antagonists, you delve into their underlying motivations.”
He continues, “Creating my character for Beverly Hills Cop involved in-depth discussions with the director about the complexities of his character, such as the loss of his family and the injury received in the line of duty which went unrecognised. Taking into account how this might affect someone who can’t afford to live in the city where he works, as we wanted to reflect someone re-entering the dating scene.”
Swapping comedic jabs with Murphy was a distinct pleasure for Bacon. In one scenario, Murphy’s character is outlined as a drug dealer, prompting an amusingly extreme response of helicopter theft. “Working with an actor of such calibre is undoubtedly the highlight of my career,” Bacon credits. Known for his bold character interpretations, Murphy is the kind of actor that Bacon holds in high esteem.
Bacon’s veneration for daring actors like Murphy has proven advantageous for his career. His debut Golden Globe nomination was for his role in The River Wild, opposite Meryl Streep. He also earned recognition for his performances in blockbusters like Sleepers, JFK, and Apollo 13. In 1982, he shared the Broadway stage with Sean Penn, then a fresh face in the industry. The duo would later co-star in Clint Eastwood’s critically acclaimed film, Mystic River.
On the topic of Mystic River, Bacon acknowledges its unique experience. He found the mismatch between the heavy content of the film and the joyous atmosphere behind the scenes intriguing. Recalling the fun times with co-actors Sean and Tim Robbins in Pittsburgh, he appreciates the quality of their scenes and the camaraderie fostered by staying together outside of shooting hours. He attributes their shared admiration for Clint Eastwood as a binding factor.
Born in Philadelphia as the youngest of six siblings, Bacon comes from a closely bonded family. His mother, Ruth, was an educator at an elementary school and an activist, and his father, Edmund Bacon, an urban planner who penned the notable book ‘Design of Cities’ in 1967.
Creativity was highly valued in the Bacon household, with both parents having a flair for the visual arts. Bacon’s mother was a painter, whilst his father, though not an artist, drew from an architectural and city planning perspective. The siblings were urged to appreciate fine art in all its forms, be it sculpture or music. The house was perpetually resonating with music, as the Bacon siblings – including Bacon himself – were all musically inclined. Notably, he and his brother Michael produced seven albums since 1995 as The Bacon Brothers. Instead of buying what was needed, the family ethos was to create it. This was less about economising and more about sparking creativity.
At the tender age of 18, Bacon was featured in his debut film, National Lampoon’s Animal House. He speaks candidly about his passion for acting that was present long before he could even name it. He fondly recalls his desire to be noticed whenever he entered a room, a trait he believes most actors share, despite claims of being shy off-camera. He asserts that acting is not a career one would pursue unless one craved people’s attention and recognition for their performances.
Bacon’s vast acting repertoire ranges from comedic roles in movies like Beauty Shop starring Queen Latifah, to his unsettling debut directorial effort The Woodsman, in which he portrays a former paedophile learning to live after imprisonment. Despite the apparent variety, Bacon insists the process remains consistent, though he has learned valuable tips from his wife of 36 years, Kyra Sedgwick, with whom he frequently collaborates on screen.
“The beginning of my acting journey involved a lot of hands-on research,” acknowledges the actor, who went as far as fully immersing himself in the high school backdrop of ‘Footloose’ in order to understand what being a transfer student in that environment would feel like. He admits to dabbling in risky and audacious acts during his theatre phase. Bacon credits his partner, Kyra, with introducing him to the practice of developing and writing backstories for his characters, something he still engages in. From curating playlists for each character he portrays to even dreaming about them during filming, his commitment to his roles is absolute. But once a movie wraps up, Bacon is quick to step out of his character’s shoes, even if he’s been partaking in lighthearted projects such as ‘Beauty Shop’.”
With over four million followers on Instagram, Bacon frequently uploads snippets from his daily life on his goat and pig farm in Connecticut, shares his #MondayBlues music picks from his vinyl collection, and shows him grooving through his kitchen with Sedgwick.
Bacon reminisces about a podcast he once listened to, hosted by Kendall Ostrow, where he learned that if one chooses to be present on social media, they should do it right. That lesson stayed with him and fuelled his growth as a content creator. Adept at brainstorming content ideas and creating mixtapes long before Instagram came into existence, Bacon even taught himself video shooting and editing. He likens this creative process to crafting songs and engages in it as a pastime between acting roles.
Ensconced in the acting world’s glitter and shine, Bacon has a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to his name. Perhaps the most unique feather in his cap is his indirect contribution to mathematics – ‘The Erdos-Bacon number’, a formula that calculates one’s ‘collaborative distance’. This concept arose from the 90s social game ‘Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon’, which later transformed into ‘SixDegrees.Org’, a charity Bacon established in 2007. Always evolving and experimenting, Bacon regards this as a way of utilising something seemingly frivolous for a greater purpose. He firmly believes in the underlying message, which emphasises human connection, particularly relevant in a world rife with division.
Starting from Wednesday, July 3rd, Axel F from Beverly Hills Cop will be accessible on Netflix.