About This Project

Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an acclaimed American actor recognized for his versatility across a wide range of roles. Throughout his career, he has earned numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Bacon made his feature film debut in National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978) and gained attention in Diner (1982). His breakthrough came with the iconic musical drama Footloose (1984). Since then, he has starred in a variety of critically acclaimed films such as JFK (1991), A Few Good Men (1992), Apollo 13 (1995), Mystic River (2003), and Frost/Nixon (2008). His diverse filmography also includes Friday the 13th (1980), Tremors (1990), The River Wild (1994), Balto (1995), The Woodsman (2004), Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011), X-Men: First Class (2011), and Patriots Day (2016). Behind the camera, Bacon directed Losing Chase (1996) and Loverboy (2005).

On television, Bacon won both a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for his portrayal of Michael Strobl in HBO’s Taking Chance (2009). He led the FOX series The Following from 2013 to 2015 and played the lead in Amazon Prime’s I Love Dick (2016–2017). From 2019 to 2022, he starred in Showtime’s crime drama City on a Hill.

In 2003, Bacon was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His wide-ranging work has contributed to the pop culture phenomenon “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,” which highlights his extensive connections in the entertainment industry. He also serves as a brand ambassador for British mobile network EE, appearing in several of the company’s ad campaigns. Bacon is married to fellow actor Kyra Sedgwick.

Early Life and Education

Kevin Bacon grew up in a tight-knit family in Philadelphia as the youngest of six children. His mother, Ruth Hilda (née Holmes), was an elementary school teacher and social activist. His father, Edmund Bacon, was a renowned urban planner and the executive director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. He also authored the influential book Design of Cities.

Bacon attended Julia R. Masterman School in Philadelphia for both middle and high school. At 16, he received a full scholarship to the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts at Bucknell University. There, he studied theater under Glory Van Scott—a formative experience that sparked and solidified his passion for the performing arts.