Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special follows guardians Mantis and Drax heading to Earth to present a special gift to Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) on Christmas and make it memorable for him – with the gift in question being none other than Kevin Bacon, playing himself.
In this special, the Footloose star and idol of Quill’s is captured for special delivery, much to his horror and disapproval, but just how much of the fictional tale is based on the real Bacon?
So, was the home in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ actually Kevin Bacon’s real house?
In an interview with Variety, director James Gunn spoke on this subject. “Kevin doesn’t like Christmas. That part was hilarious to me. I have Kevin showing up on set in what is supposed to be his house, and it’s filled with all these enormous inflatables,” Gunn said.
“It looks like Santa Claus vomited all over the Bacon house, which looks nothing like Kevin Bacon’s house in any way. It’s so LA-looking, which is just not Kevin. But Kevin is this super nice guy. He’s so talented, so professional, so egoless, and just a really kind person. That part of the character is just like him.”
In sum, the house is a set, dressed up to serve as a fictional home for this fictionalized version of Kevin Bacon. Real, lived-in houses are typically hard to film in due to spacing issues, even if they’re large. The fictional home also better serves this Christmas-loving version of Kevin in the Marvel universe.
Even if they could use Bacon’s real home, the special’s producers would likely still opt not to, due to concerns over privacy and doxing, as viewers can spot locations and track the actor’s real home address, and post it online. The decision was most likely made due to a combination of privacy and practicality concerns, and ensure that no one gets too many degrees close to Kevin Bacon.
Guardian of the Galaxy Holiday Special is currently streaming on Disney Plus.