Kevin Bacon has not attended the Oscars since his rise to fame in the movie *Footloose* four decades ago. “It was crazy,” Bacon, 65, told Entertainment Tonight in an interview published on Thursday, June 20. “I was thinking about it — I have never been to the Oscars since 1984.”
Bacon recalled being invited to present an award because he was the “It Boy of the Year” following his breakout role as Ren McCormack. “Footloose was sort of the thing that introduced me to Hollywood, if you will. So it was a big year for me,” he said.
At that time, Bacon was accompanied by Daryl Hannah to present the Best Sound Effects Editing award to Jay Boekelheide for *The Right Stuff*.
In a related topic, Bacon discussed his collaboration with Eddie Murphy in *Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F*, which is set to release on July 3. Similar to how *Footloose* launched Bacon’s career, the original *Beverly Hills Cop* was pivotal for Murphy’s career in 1984.
“I loved the movie when it came out,” Bacon told ET. “It’s the greatest fish-out-of-water franchise there is. But the thing that people forget is, you can’t do that movie without Eddie.”
Bacon noted that he and Murphy, 63, had discussed how unusual it was that they had never worked together before. He also mentioned that his public image has evolved with his social media presence.
“I did an interview the other day and this woman told her daughter, ‘I’m going to do an interview with Kevin Bacon later,’” Bacon recalled. “And she said, ‘Oh, Kevin Bacon. Is that the guy from Instagram?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, man!’”
He humorously added that he has “no one to blame but myself” for this new perception.
Bacon, who starred in major films such as *A Few Good Men* and *Stir of Echoes* after breaking into the industry, continues to cherish memories from his *Footloose* fame.
In April, the Golden Globe nominee visited Payson High School in Utah — the filming location of *Footloose* — just hours before the school’s prom.
“It’s been a long time — 40 years — that just blows my mind,” Bacon told students on the football field before the dance. “Things look a little different around here. I’d say the thing that looks the most different is me.”
Bacon also reflected on the lasting impact of the movie, stating, “I think it’s amazing the power that this movie has had to bring people together, connect on the basic ideas behind the movie — standing up to authority sometimes, being forgiving of people who are different from you, standing up for your own freedoms and your right to express yourself, and having compassion for others.”
