After 40 years, actor Kevin Bacon recently returned to Payson High School, the Utah school where “Footloose” was filmed, for a special charitable event. It was the result of a yearlong campaign by students and faculty to bring Bacon back, capitalizing on the film’s 40th anniversary. Students, parents, and locals gathered to stuff 5-thousand gym bags with essentials to donate to nonprofits with the actor’s charity, 6 Degrees.
The nostalgia for “Footloose” runs deep in Payson, with older locals reminiscing about scenes and connections to the film, and the younger generation regularly taking part in “Footloose” events and performances. When Bacon arrived, he acknowledged the changes in the school but says the movie’s timeless themes of self-expression, unity, and standing up for others are as important as ever.
The event was the night before the school’s prom, which the star didn’t attend, but he did praise the students for their dedication to bringing him back and for their efforts to support charities. “You are all just tireless, unrelenting in your desire to have me return. You talked me into it,” Bacon says, “I think it’s great to see that kind of commitment to anything.”
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