Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon have been together for 30+ years. But throughout their journey together, there's been lots of road bumps. From their first chance encounter to losing their life savings, we're going behind closed doors.
Defying the Odds
Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon are part of an elite group of celebrity couples who have been together for over three decades. The two actors have completely defied the marriage odds of Hollywood.
Surrounded by endless cheating scandals and dramatic divorces, it is truly a marvel they have remained in such a loving relationship. So, what is their secret to having a long-lasting marriage? Here's a rare look behind the magic of Kyra and Kevin.
Where It All Started
Before they were famous, they were just regular people. Sedgwick was born and raised in New York City. Always loving the theater, she began acting on a soap opera when she was only 16. Even though she was already working, she went on to earn a degree in theater at USC.
Not too far from his future wife, Bacon grew up in Philadelphia. A five-week arts program cemented Bacon's love for the arts, so when he was 17, he left home to pursue a career in theater. He started in minor roles before becoming the world-famous actor we know and love today.
A Broadway Star & Blonde Fan
Their story begins in 1978, when a young Kyra - 12 years old, to be exact - was out with her older brother. They went to see the matinee show of Getting Out, an off-Broadway play. After the show, Kyra and her brother went to grab lunch when they spotted an actor from the play! "She saw me at the deli buying a sandwich," Bacon recalled.
Her older brother encouraged a nervous Sedgwick to go up to the actor and tell him how much she enjoyed the performance. So she did! "I liked you in your show!" Bacon recalled her saying. He and his fan shared this sweet interaction, not having any idea that they would fall in love almost 10 years later.
Making the First Move
Years later, Sedgwick and Bacon were both cast as the leads of the film Lemon Sky. Bacon was intrigued by Sedgwick. According to the actress, he would ask the entire cast to go eat dinner, hoping she would join. She recalled to Conan O'Brien on his show, "He was always stuck with the check. Poor guy."
Determined to find a way to her heart, Bacon suggested to Sedgwick that she get a massage. He told her about this great massage therapist at his hotel, and she followed his advice. He strategically planned to be at the gym when she was finishing her massage and asked her for dinner. Finally, she accepted his invitation.
"Terrifying" Connection
The connection they shared was instant. They began to date and fell madly in love with each other. Sedgwick admitted she was terrified at first. She explained to Vulture that she had been working since she was 16 and thought herself "fiercely independent."
She explained, "So when I did fall in love with Kevin, it really just felt like there was some urgency to get married, and I don't know what it was. Suddenly this thing came over me, and I was terrified." She understood that her fear came from being unable to count on people and being scared to be vulnerable.
A Christmas Eve Proposal
Despite her fears, she knew that he was the one for her. In the same year that they met, Bacon decided that he was going to ask Sedgwick to marry him. He told PopEater, "I proposed to my wife on Christmas Eve, and I put the ring in the toe of the stocking."
He also recalled the story of the emotional moment on The Kelly Clarkson Show. He told Kelly Clarkson, "She was so touched, cried, said I do." It is no wonder why Sedgwick said yes. The young couple was insanely in love. Except, there was one thing that wasn't quite right...
An Awkward Confession
There was something that was wrong - but Sedgwick didn't have the heart to admit it to her fiancé. One night, around 3 months after he proposed, Sedgwick revealed the truth. Bacon said to Clarkson, "We're lying in bed, and she wakes up in the middle of the night, and she's crying… and she can't even say what's going on."
He continued, "Finally, she goes, 'I don't like the ring!'" Bacon immediately comforted Sedgwick and told her, "It's all right, it's all right, hon - we'll go back. I don't care - we'll take it back." They returned to the jewelers, and Sedgwick helped pick out the ring she still wears today.
Wedding Bells
On September 4, 1988, they said "I do" to each other. They were now bound together in sickness and in health for the rest of their lives. A commitment that they have taken quite seriously. On the wedding day, Kyra wore a long-sleeved and high-necked wedding dress. She put her hair into a beautiful updo.
Her handsome groom wore a plaid suit and matched it with a polka dot tie over a white shirt. Sedgwick was only 23 when they tied the knot, while Bacon was 30. But their age gap never hindered them. They were young and in love and about to embark on the wonderful journey of life together.
Becoming Mom & Dad
The couple went on their honeymoon and enjoyed their time as newlyweds. However, they came back from their trip with an extra surprise that they certainly didn't plan. They found out that Sedgwick was pregnant! The exciting news came as a bit of a shock since they weren't necessarily planning to have a family.
Kevin Bacon told Jimmy Kimmel, "We got pregnant on the honeymoon… When we had our son, Trave, we were here in L.A… We didn't know anything. We knew nothing about raising a kid." Even if they didn't audition, they were about to step into the roles of a lifetime. They became parents to their son Travis on June 23, 1989.
Parents to Two
Several years later, Kyra and Kevin welcomed another member to the family. They had their daughter, Sosie, on March 15, 1992. Their new baby girl completed their family unit of four. The family grew their roots on the other side of the country in New York City.
Most of the film and television industry jobs were located in Los Angeles, but they knew that their hearts were on the east coast. So, they made the tough decision to raise their family in NYC, even if it meant they would have to fly cross-country or miss out on work because of the distance.
Business & Pleasure
Not only were Bacon and Sedgwick married and raising a family together - they also worked together. They met on the movie set of Lemon Sky, and they also starred in various other films together. In the 1991 flick, Pyrates, they starred as a couple whose passionate love affair literally lights things on fire around them.
They also worked on the 1995 movie Murder in the First together. But it didn't stop there. They also starred in the 2004 drama Cavedweller and the 2004 indie The Woodsman. Then, they got the entire family on board when Bacon directed and starred in Loverboy in 2006 and cast Kyra, his son, and his daughter.
Getting Played
However, not everything was roses and rainbows for the couple. It was wintertime, right around Christmas, when Kyra received the bad news. They had invested their life savings with Bernie Madoff. It turned out that his investments weren't real, and Kyra and Kevin were victims of the largest Ponzi scheme in history.
Madoff was eventually sentenced to 150 years in prison. In the book What Makes a Marriage Last, Kyra revealed, "My sister called me because she was invested in it too - our stepfather had suggested it - and she said, 'Are you sitting down?' It was all over the news... It was a hard day."
"Well, That Sucks"
Through the entire Bernie Madoff scandal, they knew that they had each other. Sedgwick and Bacon turned to each other for support. Sedgwick recalled, "So, yeah, it felt awful and scary for a long time. But we knew we were going to get through it. And so many people had it so much worse…"
Bacon said on the Smartless podcast that they "had most of our money in Madoff." He mentioned that they had part of their losses returned, and their attitude was that "When something like that happens, you look at each other and you go, 'Well, that sucks, and let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.'"
A Permanent Promise
They weren't going to let the terrible news break them down. A few years later, Sedgwick showed how much her family cared for each other. On the red carpet at the 2012 SAG Awards, she revealed a tattoo design that Bacon had designed. The ink incorporated everyone's initials in their family.
Not only did Kyra get one, but the entire family did! Sedgwick revealed on The Late Late Show with James Corden that she came up with the idea. She said, "We were on our way to dinner one night, and I said, 'Let's all get really drunk and get tattoos!'" A few years later, they followed through.
Director Sedgwick
By 2017, Kyra took on a new project: She directed the film Story of a Girl. Who was her lead? Obviously, her husband, Kevin Bacon. Not only did he act in her movie, but he was her biggest cheerleader. He told Glamour, "For years, I encouraged Kyra to direct, because I really thought she'd be great at it and would enjoy it."
He continued, "I've never seen her in work situations to be as happy as she is when she's directing. She just absolutely loves it, and she's great at it." Her husband wasn't the only family member she recruited. Sedgwick and Bacon's son, Travis, composed the music.
Three Decades of Love
As 2018 approached, Sedgwick and Bacon had a big reason to celebrate. It was their 30th anniversary. This was a significant milestone for any couple, but especially one for few celebrities. They joined an exclusive club with members like Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn or Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson.
Sounds like pretty good company to keep! To celebrate, Bacon posted a video of the two of them dueting the Bee Gees' To Love Somebody on his Instagram. He wrote, "30 years with this amazing woman. She is the music in my life." Sedgwick also posted a photo with the accompanying caption, "30 years (yesterday) Lucky Lady."
Not Her Type
After 30 years together, it is crazy to imagine that there was a chance the lovebirds weren't even going to get together. Yet, there was! Sedgwick told Rebook, "He definitely wasn't my type." As for why the actress wasn't initially interested?
She explained, "In fact, I vividly remember looking at his butt when he walked away after we first met and thinking, Well, I guess some girls like that. And now it's one of my favorite parts of his anatomy! That's probably too much information!" Thankfully, she didn't let him not being her type get in the way.
Their Secret to Success
With decades of experience, everyone wants to know the secret to their success. It is a question that has come up countlessly for the couple. To the point that in a 2017 interview with The Guardian, Bacon said that he's done answering the question about how they've managed to stay married for so long!
He said, "….I am capable, but I don't want to, and I'll tell you why. Every time I go there, this thing that's so important to me gets boiled down to a one-liner and that sort of cheapens it. So I'm like, you know what? I'm done." Bacon is keeping the secret of their marriage's success under lock and key. For now...
Keeping Things Spicy
Over the years, the couple has had to keep the romance alive. However, it seems to come naturally to them. Sedgwick revealed to Redbook that having the desire for each other is super important, and they still have it all these years later! She said, "The essence of it hasn't really changed."
Then, she continued, "When he walks into a room, I'm still… I mean, my heart gets a little fluttery, and I think, Oh! He's so cute. He's so hot. That's literally the first thing I think." They have kept things sizzling by going on dates, finding alone time, and even appreciating each other's company.
The Biggest Priority
Marriage isn't just a walk in the park because two people are in love. It comes with a lot of hard work. They made a conscious decision to make their relationship a priority. Kevin Bacon told Good Housekeeping that they'd done family dinners without electronics and ensured there were date nights without the kids.
Sedgwick told Redbook, "I feel the primary relationship has to be the mother and the father, and then it can be the kids. Of course, the kids come first in planning your life, but it's incredibly important to keep your relationship as a couple strong and make time for it."
Painful Sacrifices
Bacon was aware of how much Kyra gave up for their family. He told Us Weekly, "She's made a lot more sacrifices than I've made. Kyra felt really strongly that, when she started to have children, she needed to be there for them." Kyra prioritized being a mother over everything.
He continued, "In many cases, because of the kids, she would make decisions careerwise that weren't the best for her career. We kept staying in New York because we wanted to raise them in New York, but there was more work in Los Angeles." So, eventually, when she got the role on The Closer, Bacon said he'd stay with the kids.
Finding Your Roots
But things truly got complicated when 3 college students challenged each other to find the shortest path between Kevin Bacon and any actor. Kyra and Kevin were obviously married, but the actress found out they were more connected than they originally thought! Sedgwick went on the PBS Show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Through genealogy research, they learned that they were distantly related. Meaww reported that they were 9th cousins once removed. Sedgwick told a panel, "I figured I was going to be related to Kevin Bacon - I mean, most white people are related, ultimately. I wasn't surprised, honestly." Even if she wasn't horrified, many fans were...
Kiss & Make Up
But they were still human, at the end of the day - which meant they also got into arguments. Stars, they're just like us! Sedgwick confessed about their disagreements, "We're not one of those volatile, mercurial couples. We get cranky, but our fights usually don't last very long, and they're rare."
The Closer actress told Redbook, "Both of us knew this was forever, and we were going to work it out no matter what happens, so when we fight, it's not so scary. You can't be honest with someone if you think that they are going to leave." Whatever struggles they've been through, they know they will always have each other.
"Everyone... Struggles"
What helps with making it through? They keep working at it and live up to that commitment that they made to each other. Sedgwick got real with Redbook and said, "Everyone has marital struggles - I don't buy the 'Oh, it's so hard, actors being married. Man, marriage is hard for everyone."
She continued explaining herself, "So when we're on the red carpet and we get the 'How do you guys do it? No one can stay together,' I get really irritated. I don't think our relationship is more or less difficult; I just think you both make the commitment, and you make it work."
Love Lockdown
While the Covid-19 pandemic was devastating for many families, Sedgwick and Bacon found a silver lining among the lockdowns and quarantines. Bacon told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, "My wife and I realized that we've been married for a really long time, and quarantine really was an amazing, kind of, test for our marriage..."
They prioritized spending time apart and trying new activities, like Bacon attempting to give his wife a wax. He thought if he could put together Ikea furniture, he could do anything - but he soon realized this was not the case. The couple was lucky to have each other through this tricky time.
Heading to TikTok
They may be 30 years deep into their marriage, but Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon are still keeping up with the latest trends. They joined in on the viral TikTok trend called the "Footloose Drop." Bacon picked up Sedgwick, twirled her in his arms, and then caught her again.
When he posted the video on his Instagram, he wrote in the caption, "I don't remember this being part of the original #Footloose choreography but figured we'd give it a spin." Kevin posted a follow-up photo that showed Kyra with an icepack after doing the dance (above). Apparently, they did it too well.
The One Thing That Annoyed Kyra
Throughout all these years of marriage, there have understandably been times that the two of them get on each other's nerves. Kevin divulged one thing that annoyed his wife of 30 years - his acting performance! Sedgwick was directing Space Oddity, and Bacon was starring in it.
He was trying to deliver a line, and he could not get it right, no matter how hard he tried. He told Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, "We got to this one line, and this one line... I just, in her ear, was not saying it right." The line was 'ok.'" Fitting enough since it seems Bacon only could do an OK job of it.
Sharing Passions
The couple is multi-talented, and beyond their acting skills, they also have a love for music. Kevin joined up with his older brother, Michael, to form The Bacon Brothers. They have been performing music since 1997, and Sedgwick has been a proud fan of her rockstar hubby.
Bacon isn't the only musical one in the relationship. Sedgwick has also dabbled in the musical arts, with the two frequently posting videos of them singing and playing guitar on Instagram. They recently covered Miley Cyrus' song, Flowers. Hopefully, afterward, Bacon bought his wife a bouquet.
Coming Clean
Even though Kevin Bacon has refused for years to answer questions about the secret to his marriage with Kyra Sedgwick, he recently went against his original stance and offered some words of wisdom. Whether anyone takes his advice or not is up to them.
Kevin Bacon told Jimmy Kimmel Live! "If I was to give some advice, I would say the one thing you don't want to do is take a celebrity's advice on how to stay married." While it may not be the secret sauce to how they make things work, his advice can definitely come in handy!
The Journey Continues
Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon have been in a loving marriage for 35 years. They have defied the odds in Hollywood by remaining together. While we may never know how they make it work, we can admire their love and dedication to each other. Their love story is one for the books.
In a culture where stars are often found cheating or involved in scandals, it is refreshing to see a couple that feels just like the rest of us! They have raised 2 talented kids and have held remarkable careers. Through the bumps in the road, Kyra and Kevin have always ridden along together...