Kevin Bacon left home as a teenager with one goal in mind, to become a great actor. Throughout the '80s, '90s, and 2000s, we can definitely say that Bacon smashed that goal, becoming an A-lister among his peers.
What continues to be remarkable is the actor's longevity throughout the years, he is never content with riding off into the sunset.
Given all his work, most would assume that his net worth is over the $100 million mark. Well, at one point in time, that was most definitely true. However, following a Ponzi scheme, that same net worth plummeted due to his involvement, one that he really had no clue about. He lost an outrageous amount of money and despite the loss, he still has a reasonable amount left.
Despite losing most of his fortune, Bacon admitted that it really showed him what's truly important in life. We'll take a look at how his net worth skyrocketed, along with how it came crashing down and what he has left today.
Legend Of The Game
Since he was a kid, Kevin Bacon wanted all the attention on him when he walked into a room.
Clearly, he wanted to be someone from an early age. Surprisingly, although he enjoyed huge success thanks to 'Footloose', he wasn't entirely content with the outcome and the trajectory of his career following the film, "I think that ‘Footloose’ was a really, really great opportunity that I really didn’t know how to use to its best advantage.“I did a lot of off-Broadway, and the people I had admired were not pop stars,” Bacon said. “They were really serious actors…And I had this really big, kind of teen fame, teen following. And I was like, ‘This is not who I want to be at all.'”
Despite the perception of the film, it made Bacon a huge star and the trend would continue into the '90s, along with the 2000s.
Alongside CBS News, Bacon made mention that his longevity has a lot to do with the fact that he's never fully content with his work, "The best gig, the best scene, or the best moment or whatever is around the corner, it's not here yet. Often what you hear from celebrities is that it's such a pain in the ass – Oh, I can't go anywhere, and people hassle me and all that kind of stuff. And yeah, there is a certain amount of that, it's true, but 99% of it is really good."
Along with a great career came a huge fortune attached to his name, which was said to be over $150 million at one point. However, trusting Bernie Madoff with his money proved to be a big mistake and one that lost the actor millions.
Ponzi Scheme Controversy
How quickly your fortune can go away because of putting your trust in the hands of the wrong person. It is said that Bacon lost $100 million because of the scheme, orchestrated by Bernie Madoff. The actor recalls it being a bad day, though he learned a lot from the experience, "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 says, although he can’t stop himself from adding in the next breath, “but I’m looking forward to seeing De Niro play him [in the upcoming HBO Madoff biopic].”
Bacon still walked away from the situation with his health, along with his family's love as well. The biggest lesson, always to be aware of where your money is, "Let me also say, I think there’s a good cautionary tale there, to be cognizant of what’s happening with your money.”
Despite the $100 million lost, Bacon is still left with a net worth of $45 million, which says a lot about his career and the fortune claimed along the way.
These days, the actor isn't content with retirement just yet, he's working on several projects including 'North Star', 'One Way' and 'The Toxic Avenger'.
As for his life at home, things appear to be just as pleasant, Bacon is spending most of his time alongside family at his barn, which is filled with animals.
It is a simple life but a happy one for the actor, a lesson that money doesn't buy happiness.
Sources: IG, YouTube, My Northwest News, CBS News & The Guardian