Kevin Bacon will kick up his heels at the prom this spring back at the school where he made one of his most famous films.
The “Footloose” star will return to Payson High School in Utah to join students in celebrating their final prom. This school served as one of the locations for the 1984 movie, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
It’s taken nearly two years for Payson High School’s #BacontoPayson social media campaign to bring Bacon back to his old stomping grounds. From recreating iconic “Footloose” scenes, performing the musical and direct appeals, the Payson Lions went all out to grab Bacon’s attention.
Their most ambitious campaign started to be released by one of the school’s video classes, which recreated a film trailer and released a few episodes of their take on “Footloose.”
Time has been critical for Payson High School, because the building used in “Footloose” is scheduled to be demolished after this school year. If Bacon was going to come back, this had to be the year.
Then, on Monday, students were called into the gym for a surprise. Representatives from NBC’s “Today” talked with the students about their efforts and then brought Bacon into the conversation via Zoom.
“I have been so impressed with everything going on there with this crazy idea to get me to come back,” Bacon told the student body. “It hasn’t gone unnoticed by me … And, I’m gonna come. I gotta come. ”
Bacon also told the students he appreciated how their social media efforts also raised awareness of his charitable foundation, SixDegrees.org, which the actor created to help bring connection to people’s lives through youth programming around the country.
“I think that’s the reason it’s resonated so deeply with people,” Payson High School student council adviser Jenny Staheli told KUER 90.1. “I think it’s really because this is, this is such a feel-good idea that we can all get behind and we can all agree that good things need to happen in the world, and unexpected kindnesses are worth it.”
Payson High School students and Bacon will celebrate at the prom on April 20.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost.
