Kevin Bacon & Kyra Sedgwick Mark 35th Wedding Anniversary With Sweet Tributes While Settling Into Farm Life As Empty Nesters

Sep 13, 2023

Kevin Bacon is an American actor who is best known for the musical film "Footloose." He also starred in "JFK," "A Few Good Men" and "Apollo 13," among many other popular films. One of Kevin's strengths is his range, which allows him to excel in many different genres. Some comedies he is remembered for include "National Lampoon's Animal House," "Tremors" and "Crazy Stupid Love." The star succeeded on television as well with his role in "The Following." 

The actor has won a number of awards, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Kevin has also been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and an Academy Award. He received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003. 

On top of being a successful actor, Kevin is also a loving father and husband. He has been married to actress Kyra Sedgwick for over three decades. They have two children together, whom they raised in New York City. 

Sedgwick is best known for her leading role in the TV series "The Closer." The actress won both a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance on the show. The series ended in 2012 but had an incredible seven-season run. Sedgwick is also remembered for her hilarious role in the comedy series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." Some of her films include "Something to Talk About," "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Singles."

The actress took a break from acting when her children were born but saw a resurgence of roles after they were older. Nowadays, she and Kevin appear to be enjoying a more chilled-out and rustic life on their Connecticut farm after the kids left the nest. Keep reading to learn more about Kevin and Sedgwick's relationship.

Kevin melted hearts everywhere in 2020 with his emotional tribute to his wife, Sedgwick. Kevin and Sedgwick first met in the '70s after he was cast in a local play that Sedgwick had watched with her brother. Bacon was 19 at the time, while she was only 12. 

"A little girl was in there who had just seen the matinee, and her brother said, 'You liked that actor, go tell him you liked him,' and it was Kyra," Kevin said in 2014 when appearing on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," as reported by Us Magazine. "She was a little girl, yeah, she was 12 years old."

When the pair met again later in life, Sedgwick decided to give Kevin a chance. They married in 1988 when Sedgwick was 23. 

In 2023, the couple will have celebrated 35 years of marital bliss! Kevin posted a throwback photo in September 2020 from their wedding on his social media as they celebrated their then-32nd anniversary. He took to his Instagram page to show his gratitude to his very special lady, Sedgwick. The actor wrote a simple, loving message for his wife and gushed over their many years together. "11,680 days with you," Kevin captioned his post. "Thanks for making them all count."

Fans of the couple quickly commented on the post with admiration for their successful, loving marriage and sent the pair good wishes. Some took the humorous route by calculating the exact minutes and seconds Bacon and Sedgwick had been together. In contrast, others expressed their admiration for the two lovebirds and their strong relationship.  

In September 2021, Kevin posted another tribute for their 33rd anniversary. Alongside a romantic black-and-white photo of the couple dancing was the caption:

"Here’s to dancing through life with you @kyrasedgwickofficial. Happy anniversary. You are the reason."  

The couple, however, have also had their rough patches, too. In 2008, Kevin and Sedgwick were victims of history's largest Ponzi scheme and were defrauded of all their savings in the Bernie Madoff scandal. "We found out when the world found out," Sedgwick said, according to People.

"We had both been working professionally — Kev since he was 17 and me since I was 15 — and it was our savings, all the money we had. … It was a hard day."

Although the couple never disclosed how much they had lost, the figure was reported to be in the “millions.” Despite the loss, it allowed Kevin and Sedgwick to better appreciate what truly mattered in life: their kids and health. 

The lovebirds also spoke to Glamour about how they each support one another through their busy careers. 

Kevin admitted at the time: "Kyra felt really strongly that, when she started to have children, she needed to be there for them. 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."

While Sedgwick took the reins first, her husband returned the favor when she made her big break on the award-winning show, "The Closer."

"Then when 'The Closer' came along — I don't even look at this as a sacrifice," Kevin said. "But the kids were still in high school or junior high and she had this opportunity to go out to California and to be a lead in a TV show. I said, 'Listen, I'll stay with the kids.' In this case, this was the first time in our lives I said, 'I'll stay home, I won't take anything.'"  

According to Kevin, Sedgwick doesn't put up with nonsense and expects clear communication from her loved ones. Kevin elaborated:

"Well, no, she doesn't, but that's a little different. She demands a level of openness from me. It's all thoughts and feelings with her, that's her approach with us, whether it's with my son, daughter or me. Communication is something she brought to us as a family, 100%."

When asked if communication was the secret to their long-lasting marriage, Kevin agreed but shared that he never liked that question. "Yeah, communication helps. But that's a question that I've sort of come to a decision, uh, that I, uh, I'm not capable of answering," he said. "No, 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."

Sedgwick herself also once said divulging such personal insight was a fruitless exercise. "(The) secret to a long-lasting marriage is not to take advice from celebrities about the secret to a happy marriage," she quipped.

Throughout all of their hardships as a couple, Sedgwick and Kevin have handled them together. Kevin used the Madoff situation as an example.

"It was a bad day. But pretty quickly, we were able to see all the things we had as opposed to whatever we lost, and those are the biggest cliches: children, health, love, a nice home. So we got through it together. I don't think about Madoff, like, at all," he shared. 

The couple has one son named Travis Bacon and a daughter Sosie Bacon. Both are in their 30s and have followed their parents into the entertainment industry. Travis is in a band, while Sosie followed in her parents' footsteps and became an actress. In 2021, Sedgwick opened up about her and Kevin’s transition into empty-nesters after Travis and Sosie moved out of the house.

“I think it's a real crushing blow, honestly, when they leave you. It's the only job that you have that if you do it well, you get fired. As a mom, if you do your job well, your children leave you. So it's weird and it's hard. I'm grateful to have adult children now, but I think initially it's like, 'Wait, what are you talking about? I birthed you and I took care of you your whole life and now you're leaving me!' It felt wrong,” she explained.

He added there had never been any competition between him and Sedgwick. "Kyra and I believe in each other as actors, as directors and as talent. She's never been anything other than supportive of me," Kevin told People. "She doesn't have a competitive bone in her body when it comes to me. She takes my successes as hers. I'm the same way."

With the kids out of the house, the parents said they were free to enjoy their time together. "We cook, we clean, we decide what we're having for the next meal, and then we cook it, clean it ... Her partnership is invaluable," Kevin said. "I found someone I was meant to be with."

The actor also explained he has no interest in retiring anytime soon. Kevin shared: "A lot of people who are my age are thinking about pumping the brakes a little. I'm really looking down the road. I don't have much of a rearview mirror." 

In 2012, Sedgwick opened up about her relationship with Kevin. Even though Sedgwick and Kevin first met when they were young, they reconnected again on the set of "Lemon Sky." Sedgwick shared:

"We met doing a film version of the play 'Lemon Sky.' I vividly remember hearing from my agent a couple days after I got the part that Kevin Bacon had fallen out, that he had to be in New Zealand for reshoots on a movie. I remember this incredibly strong voice in my head saying, Oh, he's definitely going to do it. So when they called a couple days later and said he was back in, I was like, 'Of course he is!' It wasn't as if I thought we were going to get married. But I do remember thinking, Of course he's going to do it."

The actress also explained that her relationship with Kevin has remained as strong as when it first began. "The essence of it hasn't really changed. 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. You can ask people on the set — it's palpable. He's still a mystery to me. And getting older together is scary and exciting," she said.

Sedgwick also gushed about how loved her husband makes her feel every day. "I don't know how he does it, but he always makes me feel like I'm the most beautiful woman in the room — the only girl in the room," she said. "He says 'Honey, you look beautiful. You are sexy!' Always, always, always!"

She added:

"I am constantly in awe of Kevin's level headedness and his lack of 'crazy.'" 

In March 2023, Kevin and Sedgwick spoke with People about their long-lasting marriage, which hit the 35-year mark in September 2023. Kevin said for him, it was instant love. "I was knocked out," the actor admitted. "I thought she was amazing." 

Sedgwick soon realized the same thing the morning after their first date.

“I remember waking up and going, ‘I feel like home.’ I realized, ‘Oh, that was him,’” the actress revealed.

“We’ve always been each other’s biggest support and fans,” Sedgwick added. “A sense of humor is crucial. He is very freaking funny.”

To mark their special day, both Kevin and Sedgwick took to Instagram to post loving tributes to one another. Alongside a throwback Polaroid photo of them together, Sedgwick wrote:

“It was 1987- on the set of “Lemon Sky” - I met a man named Kevin. Happy 35 my love.”

Kevin also shared a throwback picture of the two of them together, with Sedgwick sat on his lap as he kissed her forehead. “35 years feels like a heartbeat,” the actor wrote. 

Despite their careers having slowed down, the pair look as if they’ve truly settled into life as empty nesters if their social media accounts are anything to go by. Kevin often shares snippets of their rustic farm life in Connecticut, some of which showed them dancing and singing together. One video showed Kevin strumming the guitar as he and Sedgwick sang a rendition of the classic Disney song “Kiss The Girl,” which thrilled fans. Another video saw the pair singing in a shed to their billygoats.

One fan remarked, “Two beautiful talented souls living in a higher state of consciousness.” Another user commented:

“I love you two❤️ A celebrity couple, who managed to keep their business out of the spotlight, down to earth and truly relatable. Relationship Goals 💯” 

Were you surprised to find Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick settling well into farm life? Do you appreciate their low-key and grounded life on their Connecticut estate? Let us know, and then pass this along to family and friends who’d love to read about the couple’s life now.