Bold statement: New York’s energy feeds the drama—and even a Hollywood power couple can feel the pulse of the city in their bones. Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick share how the city shapes their work, their favorite spots, and the cinema culture they still chase, all while navigating a groundbreaking project together. And this is where it gets controversial: even longtime lovers of the Big Apple crave quieter corners that can feel almost too intimate for a celebrity life.
In a Zoom interview about their latest film, The Best You Can, Sedgwick notes that there’s something distinctly “in the blood” about being a New Yorker—the speed, the urgency, the always-moving pace that keeps you on your toes. The duo’s conversation also dives into two other fuels of their partnership: the project itself, their first on-screen reunion in two decades, and the shifting landscape of the film industry.
Bacon reflects on his New York upbringing in the 1970s, describing cinema as a vital ritual. He and Sedgwick make a genuine effort to catch movies in theaters, grab popcorn, and savor that shared thrill of the big screen.
When it comes to theaters, they don’t cling to one venue. Instead, they pick based on what’s showing and where it makes the most sense for the films they want to see. Their top picks include AMC 84th Street 6 and New Plaza Cinema on 67th Street in the Upper West Side, with LOOK Dine-In on 57th Street and the Angelika also on their radar.
The couple also offers a distinctly New York flavor to the dining scene. Their go-to neighborhood restaurants include Italian favorites Gennaro and Tarallucci e Vino, where they like to unwind after a long shoot. Sedgwick, however, isn’t shy about a neighborhood critique: she laments the Upper West Side’s dining scene, saying there aren’t enough standout restaurants there. That comment doubles as a friendly challenge to Gotham’s food scene: even Hollywood A-listers want the Upper West Side to rise to the occasion.
Beyond the film talk and restaurant chatter, the article invites readers to explore New York through a similar lens—how the city’s nostalgia, tempo, and honesty permeate both art and everyday life.
If you’re planning a New York visit—or a deeper dive into its cultural heartbeat—consider this trio: the movie theaters that still feel intimate, the neighborhood eateries that offer a sense of place, and the stories that remind us why midlife in America can be just as compelling as youth on the screen.
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