Kevin Bacon to visit 'Footloose' school on prom day after students' viral campaign
FILE - Kevin Bacon attends the "THEY/THEM" New York Premiere at Studio 525 on July 27, 2022, in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
PAYSON, Utah - Kevin Bacon, who landed a breakthrough role in the 1984 musical-drama film "Footloose," will return on prom day to the Utah high school where scenes from the iconic movie were originally filmed.
Bacon’s announcement, made Friday on the "Today" show, came after students at Payson High School spent months trying to get the actor’s attention to get him to return to the school for one last dance.
"Footloose," which tells the story of a teen who attempts to overturn the ban on dancing in a small town, celebrates the 40th anniversary of its release this year.
Meanwhile, Payson High School is being torn down and relocating at the end of the school year, so the 2024 prom will be the last at the building where the iconic movie was filmed.
The students have spent months creating an online campaign, dubbed #bacontopayson on social media, recreating scenes from the film, and learning the "Footloose" dance.
The school is even hosting an event on prom day to benefit Bacon’s charity SixDegrees.org, which centers on the principle that everyone is in need of connection and supports "impactful initiatives to sustain and enrich local communities," according to its website.
Their efforts worked, as Bacon called in to the morning show from Atlanta and announced live that he would indeed be visiting Payson High School – prompting the crowd of students to cheer from the school gym.
"I have been so impressed with everything that’s been going on there with this crazy idea to get me to come back," Bacon told the students. "The movie and Payson High School was a big part of my life, and I’ve been amazed at the work that all of you have been putting into this."
"It hasn’t gone unnoticed by me," the actor continued, noting how the students had tied in his foundation, SixDegrees.org, 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," Bacon said, as the crowd of students erupted in cheers.
While Today later clarified that Bacon won’t attend the actual prom, he does plan to visit the school on prom day, where there will be an event to benefit SixDegrees.org.
This story was reported from Cincinnati.