Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Footloose
#10: The Story Is Based on Real Events
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The idea of a real place banning something as joyous as dancing might sound preposterous, but it’s true! Shortly after its establishment in 1898, Elmore City, Oklahoma outlawed the activity, apparently on religious grounds and to deter more, erm, rambunctious behaviors. Fast forward to 1980, local high schoolers decided they wanted to get footloose and lobbied the school board to lift the ban. Following an internal showdown, they narrowly tipped the scales in their favor, reportedly with the board’s president ultimately declaring, “Let ’em dance.” The students then planned for their “Stairway to Heaven” themed prom, marking an end to the prohibition and offering a blueprint for this iconic movie.
#9: Kevin Bacon Did His Homework... Undercover
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If you had to enroll in high school today, do you think you’d convincingly fit in? Bacon, who was in his early 20s when he played the teenage Ren McCormack, wasn’t too sure. So he spent a day pretending to be an exchange student in a real Utah high school. Mainly the principal knew the truth, while Bacon told others he was from Philadelphia, which technically isn’t a lie. Anyway, it sounds like his experience set him up nicely for understanding what it means to be a misfit high schooler. Some kids were apparently mean, but he did kind of find his Willard, so at least that’s nice.
#8: Locals Didn’t Have Much Love for the Cast
How would you feel if a major film crew set up in your town? Curious? Intrigued? Excited? Would you drop by to check it out? Perhaps you’d try to meet some of its stars or wrangle your way on camera? Or would you turn your nose up to these unruly Hollywood types? According to cast members, for the “Footloose” production team, who shot in Utah, it was the latter. Supposedly, some of the more conservative residents weren’t overjoyed by the presence of this fun-loving group or happy about some of their more, let’s say raucous recreational activities. Hmm, locals disapproving of people cutting loose; where have we heard that before?
#7: Sarah Jessica Parker Almost Didn’t Play Rusty
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Long before she stepped into Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic Manolo Blahniks, SJP played Ariel’s fast-talking friend, Rusty, in the 1984 dance flick. She scored a Best Young Supporting Actress nomination, but did you know the role was written with her “Square Pegs” co-star Tracy Nelson in mind? Yet, according to screenwriter Dean Pitchford, once the cameras rolled, something didn’t quite click: enter Parker. Initially, she turned down the role because production essentially envisioned Rusty’s hair matching the character’s name. Having previously sported a similar style while playing Annie on Broadway, it wasn’t a look she was too eager to revisit. The team was clearly keen to have Parker on board though. The makeover idea was scrapped, and the rest, as they say, is history.
#6: Chris Penn Had as Much Dance Experience as His Character
In one of the film’s standout scenes, Ren gives Willard a dance crash course set to Deniece Williams’ bop “Let’s Hear It for the Boy.” He goes from barely snapping on the beat to fully grooving. Actor Chris Penn had many of us fooled that he was just a really good actor rather than a genuinely bad dancer— but here’s the thing: he really didn’t have any dance background. In fact, choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett shared that the actor was actually very reluctant to “kick off [his] Sunday shoes” at first. However, she was able to tap into his wrestling experience to help him find his groove. Turns out he’s a natural, “Let’s Hear It for the Boy!”
#5: John Lithgow’s Sly Research Methods
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John Lithgow played Reverend Moore, the town's stern minister who steadfastly enforces the dance ban he worked to impose as a reaction to the loss of his son. Not being a man of faith himself, Lithgow sought a minister's advice to better understand his character. He found one in the Yellow Pages, ironically breaking the ninth commandment as he reached out, pretending to be lonely and asking for comfort in conversations about faith. Although Lithgow says he felt bad for misleading the minister, he found the experience invaluable in helping him shape his character. All we want to know is whether the minister ever discovered the truth and, if so, how did he react!?
#4: Michael Cimino Was Ousted as Director for Making Excessive Demands
As a director, you might be helming the project, but that doesn’t mean that your every wish is at the studio’s command. Paramount cycled through various director options, including Michael Cimino, whose problematic reputation preceded him. He was offered the gig with strings attached – a hefty fine if he blew the budget and a bonus for pinching pennies. Apparently, that wasn’t enough to keep him on track; he wanted to throw $200,000-$250,000 at a complete script overhaul. Naturally, the bigwigs weren’t thrilled about burning cash so needlessly, especially with the risks of delays. Cimino was booted after about a month, and Herbert Ross, the OG choice for director, jumped on board to steer the ship.
#3: Christopher Atkins Almost Played Ren
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Okay, take a minute to envision how this film might’ve looked with Rob Lowe in the principal role or Tom Cruise —we know he’s got the moves, so why not? Interestingly, ‘80s teen idol Christopher Atkins, perhaps best recognized from the 1980 flick “The Blue Lagoon,” has said that he was also in the running before Bacon booked the gig. Unfortunately, when he met with the film’s creative team, his “partying” got the best of him, and he wasn’t able to give his all at the audition. Reportedly, he was so shaken by the experience that he ended up under medical care. Atkins has since spoken candidly about his recovery journey.
#2: The Final Dance Scene Got a Late Makeover
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For a movie about a group of teens fighting for their right to dance, ending with a dance party seems like the obvious conclusion— and test audiences agreed. However, surprisingly, the original idea was a bit more low-key. After Ren’s iconic “Let’s dance” line, the plan was to end with a slow-mo shot of everyone partying. Yet, during test screenings, they realized it didn’t quite set the right vibe. So, sometime after filming wrapped, they called the gang back, crafted choreography, hired dancers, and filmed a new ending packed with the latest trends. This revamped version delivered a more fitting, feel-good, high-energy finale that very likely had audiences grooving in the aisles. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Bacon Pays DJs to Not Play the Title Song It’s a Jam, but We Can Understand Not Wanting to “Feel Like a Trained Monkey” Whenever It Comes On There’s a Good Reason for Bacon’s Super-Tight Jeans It Was Reportedly to Accentuate the Choreography “Footloose” Isn’t the only No. 1 on the Soundtrack Let’s Hear It For... “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” Bacon Needed Help Calming His Nerves Before a Major Speech The Director Had Just the Thing to Help Him Through It Madonna Auditioned to Play Ariel Seems Like She Didn’t Get “Into the Groove” They Wanted
#1: Kevin Bacon Didn’t Realize the Role Required Dance Shoes
Pretend it’s the ‘80s, and someone hands you a script called “Footloose.” What do you think it’s about? Podiatry? Pedicurists? Prosthetic legs? Okay, we’re exaggerating, but it is kind of funny that the film’s star didn’t realize he was chasséing into a dance movie with that title, don’t you think? On Penn Badgley’s podcast, “Podcrushed,” Bacon confessed that he thought he might need to do a little boogying here and there but nothing that required a choreographer. Apparently, he also didn’t love having multiple stunt doubles for the warehouse scene, once likening it to the feeling of being benched. But hey, despite no dance training and no clue about signing up for a dance movie, he turned out to be quite the twinkle toes. We know you want to go cut “Footloose,” but before you do, tell us your favorite thing about this movie in the comments.
