6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon Calculator

The 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon game is a fun way to measure how closely connected you are to Hollywood actor Kevin Bacon. By counting the number of film connections between you and Bacon, you can determine your "Bacon number."

What is a Bacon Number?

A Bacon number is a measure of how closely connected an actor is to Kevin Bacon in the Hollywood film industry. The concept comes from the "Six Degrees of Separation" theory, which suggests that any two people in the world are connected through six or fewer intermediaries.

Kevin Bacon has a Bacon number of 0 because he's the reference point. Actors who have appeared in a film with Kevin Bacon have a Bacon number of 1. Those who haven't worked directly with Bacon but have worked with someone who has a Bacon number of 1 have a Bacon number of 2, and so on.

Fun fact: The highest known Bacon number is 10, held by several actors who are very peripherally connected to Kevin Bacon through multiple film connections.

How to Calculate Your Bacon Number

Calculating your Bacon number involves finding the shortest path of film connections between you and Kevin Bacon. Here's how to do it:

Identify the actor you want to calculate the Bacon number for.
Find all films that actor has appeared in.
For each of those films, list all the other actors who appeared in it.
Repeat this process, moving outward from Kevin Bacon, until you reach the target actor.
The number of steps it takes to reach the target actor from Kevin Bacon is their Bacon number.

Bacon Number Formula:

Bacon Number = Minimum number of film connections between the target actor and Kevin Bacon

For example, if you appear in a film with an actor who has a Bacon number of 1, your Bacon number would be 2.

Interpreting Your Bacon Number

Your Bacon number can tell you a lot about your connection to Hollywood. Here's what different numbers mean:

0: You are Kevin Bacon (or someone with the same name who is very closely connected).
1: You have appeared in a film with Kevin Bacon.
2: You haven't worked with Kevin Bacon directly, but you've worked with someone who has.
3-5: You're well-connected in Hollywood circles.
6+: You're peripherally connected to Hollywood or not well-connected at all.

A lower Bacon number indicates a closer connection to Kevin Bacon and the broader Hollywood network.

Examples of Bacon Numbers

Here are some examples of actors and their Bacon numbers:

Actor	Bacon Number	Connection Path
Kevin Bacon	0	Reference point
Tom Hanks	1	Appeared in "Apollo 13" with Kevin Bacon
Meg Ryan	2	Appeared in "Sleepless in Seattle" with Tom Hanks (Bacon number 1)
Julia Roberts	2	Appeared in "Pretty Woman" with Kevin Bacon

These examples show how Bacon numbers can vary based on direct and indirect connections to Kevin Bacon.

FAQ

What is the highest known Bacon number?

The highest known Bacon number is 10, held by several actors who are very peripherally connected to Kevin Bacon through multiple film connections.

Can I calculate my own Bacon number?

Yes! You can calculate your Bacon number by finding the shortest path of film connections between you and Kevin Bacon. Use our calculator to determine your Bacon number.

Why is Kevin Bacon used as the reference point?

Kevin Bacon was chosen as the reference point because he is a well-known actor with a large number of film credits, making it easier to calculate connections.

Are there any exceptions to the Bacon number system?

Yes, some actors have been granted special exceptions or have been removed from the system due to controversies or other reasons.