Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick Believe Communication is the ‘Foundation of Caregiving’

He trails off, but the point is clear. They’re preparing. 

But like many families, they’re still living in what he calls “happy denial.” “When it comes to the kids,” Bacon adds, “I think we’ve always had a strong level of communication. We had dinner together for years. That was the only requirement. We didn’t care what your grades were, or what you wore — just be there for dinner. And when tough things come up, we talk.”

That communication, Bacon believes, is the foundation of caregiving. It’s not just about physical support — it’s about attention, intuition, empathy. “It’s time, really,” he says. “Little stuff. Are you doing okay? Checking in. You sneeze once, and [Kyra] gets me a tissue because she knows I’m going to sneeze again.”

Their real-life dynamic mirrors the emotional core of The Best You Can, which features a tender storyline between Sedgwick’s character and Bacon’s: Stan, a wayward security guard who unexpectedly steps into her life and offers comfort when she needs it most. But for Bacon, the on-screen caregiving feels deeply familiar. 

“Kyra is very, very caregiving and empathetic,” he says. “Whether it’s the kids, me, her friends, the world. Sometimes, honestly, I think it can almost be too much. I have to remind her: You have to be able to give to yourself as well.”

Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon attend The 2025 Spotlight Initiative Award Dinner at Forgione on in New York City.

Sean Zanni/Getty Images for The Creative Coalition

That message — that caregivers need care, too — resonates across the country. There are 48 million Americans providing care for older adults, most of whom are women. Many are still working.

Bacon and Sedgwick don’t claim to have all the answers. But they’ve found clarity in their own way. “As you age, you become more aware of your powerlessness — and that’s kind of freeing,” Sedgwick says. Watching herself on-screen was a moment of reckoning. “I looked like a real person. Great. And yes, I looked my age. That’s okay.”

Bacon agrees, noting that aging has brought more meaningful roles — and more meaningful reflection. “If you hang in there, the older parts are interesting. You’re dealing with stuff you didn’t get to play when you were younger. Our life isn’t magical. It’s a lot of work, but it’s mostly fun and great.”

Their partnership — built on humor, loyalty and a shared love of music — includes anniversary duets, matching tattoos with their kids and even foot rubs during Knicks games. But what grounds them, especially as they enter new life phases, is the quiet care. The emotional check-ins. The tissue without being asked. The Band-Aid on the blister from an anniversary walk.

Asked what advice they’d give their younger selves about aging, Sedgwick chimes in first: “You’re going to be so foxy.” Bacon laughs, then nods in agreement. “That’s a no-brainer.”

In a culture that often avoids hard conversations about aging and caregiving, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are leaning in with love, vulnerability and clarity. 

As actors, parents and now storytellers of aging and caregiving, Bacon and Sedgwick remind us that caring for others isn’t a burden. It’s a choice. One rooted in love, patience and the daily acts — small and large — that define a life.