The Original Cast of 'Footloose': Where Are They Now?

Although it's been 27 years since the original "Footloose" came out, its impact on popular culture is as strong as ever. Scenes of Ren MacCormick dancing, Ariel playing chicken with a truck or a train, and Willard learning how to dance were unforgettable and stayed strong in our minds. In the wake of its success, all the actors were catapulted to fame and bigger roles. Some careers truly flourished while others depressingly died down (but never count them out).

With Craig Brewer's remake finally hitting theaters, let's go back to the original and see where the actors went from there and where they are now.

Kevin Bacon

"Footloose" turned Bacon into a bona fide movie star, but it also got him typecast in forgettable films like "Quicksilver." Starting in the '90s, he broke free of that with terrific performances in "JFK," the cult movie "Tremors," and "The River Wild" opposite Meryl Streep. Most recently he played the villain Sebastian Shaw in "X-Men: First Class." The Guardian named him "one of the best actors to have never received an Academy Award Nomination."

Lori Singer

After playing Ariel, Singer went on to make memorable appearances in "The Falcon and The Snowman," "The Man with One Red Shoe," and gave an unforgettable performance in Alan Rudolph's "Trouble in Mind." With Robert Altman's "Short Cuts," she got to show off her cello playing, which was the result of training at Julliard. Her career, however, has since slowed down and never regained the momentum it had after "Footloose." She recently guest starred on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

Christopher Penn

This actor went from Willard to co-starring in Clint Eastwood's "Pale Rider" and acting opposite brother Sean in "At Close Range." His best known role post-"Footloose" was as Nice Guy Eddie in Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs," and he was also great alongside Tom Sizemore in the Tarantino-penned "True Romance." Sadly, Penn died in 2006 from heart disease. He was only 40 years old and still had many great performances left in him.

Sarah Jessica Parker

This actress has continued working steadily since "Footloose." She continued laying an indelible impression on us as SanDeE in "L.A. Story" and as Nicolas Cage's wife in "Honeymoon in Vegas." Her biggest role, however, has been as Carrie Bradshaw in the HBO series "Sex and the City" and its accompanying movies. In spite of this great success, it has also landed her in the typecasting trap that snared Bacon in the '80s. Her recent movie "I Don't Know How She Does It" was a flop with critics, who said Parker is still playing Bradshaw in everything she does.

John Lithgow

Lithgow continues his successful acting career in movies, television, and especially onstage. He recently appeared in Showtime's "Dexter" as the Trinity Killer and co-starred in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" as James Franco's Alzheimer's-afflicted father. In September 2011, he released his memoir "Drama: An Actor's Education."

Dianne Wiest

Wiest went on to win two Oscars for Best Supporting Actress in movies directed by Woody Allen: "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "Bullets Over Broadway." Other memorable appearances include "Parenthood" and "The Lost Boys." She briefly took on television playing a district attorney on "Law & Order," but she found working on a TV series to be grueling and left after her second year. Most recently she played Gabriel Byrne's therapist on HBO's "In Treatment" and acted opposite Nicole Kidman in "Rabbit Hole."

See also:

"Footloose": 25 Years Later

"Trouble In Mind" Celebrates 25th Anniversary at New Beverly Cinema

Mary Steenburgen joins Seth Green for Special Screening of "Parenthood"

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