John Lithgow Sought Spiritual Counseling for His Iconic Role in ‘Footloose’

The musical drama Footloose captivated audiences from the moment it premiered in 1984. And it has since cemented itself as a classic. In a recent interview, actor John Lithgow revealed he did some heavy lifting behind the scenes to prepare for his Footloose role as Rev. Shaw Moore. But it wasn’t exactly physical. Rather, Lithgow sought out spiritual counseling for the part, an experience he said he took “really seriously.”

Who did John Lithgow play in ‘Footloose’?

In Footloose, John Lithgow plays Rev. Shaw Moore, who serves as the film’s main antagonist. After his son, Bobby, was killed in a drunk-driving accident, Shaw persuaded the town council to pass a series of laws against drinking, drugs, dancing, and loud music.

After Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon) moves to town, he falls for the reverend’s daughter, Ariel (Lori Singer). But he struggles to gain her conservative father’s trust — even more so after he challenges the town’s anti-dancing ordinance. 

John Lithgow sought spiritual counseling to prepare for ‘Footloose’ 

While breaking down some of his most iconic characters during a recent interview with GQ, John Lithgow talked about preparing for the role of Rev. Shaw Moore in Footloose. He said he sought out spiritual counseling prior to filming.

“I’m not a religious person,” Lithgow explained. “I grew up in eight different places. There was never even the opportunity to become part of a religious community, even if my family were so inclined, which they weren’t.”

Not having grown up in a small town similar to the one depicted in Footloose, Lithgow felt he had to do some extra work to understand the mindset of someone like the reverend.

“I felt I had to find someone,” he said. “And I went and I got some spiritual counseling from a very, very kind and emphatic and smart man who talked to me about his deep relationship with Jesus. And I really needed to hear that.”

Critical and audience response to ‘Footloose’

At the time of the movie’s release, critical reviews for Footloose were mixed. But it was a box office success that went on to gross over $80 million in North America, per IMDb. Today, Footloose remains a cult classic, though it holds only a 52% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Footloose was later rebooted in 2011 with a more modern twist. The reboot stars Dennis Quaid as Rev. Shaw Moore.