Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon is a trivia game based on the concept of the “it’s a small world” phenomenon and rests on the assumption that any individual involved in the Hollywood, California film industry can be linked through his or her film roles to actor Kevin Bacon within six steps. The name of the game is a play on the “six degrees of separation” concept. The game requires a group of players to try to connect any individual to Kevin Bacon as quickly as possible and in as few links as possible.
Here is an example using Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley was in Change of Habit (1969) with Edward Asner. Edward Asner was in JFK (1991) with Kevin Bacon. Therefore Asner has a Bacon number of 1, and Presley (who never appeared in a film with Bacon) has a Bacon number of 2.
The Italian film industry is so incestuous; it sometimes seems like everybody has worked with everybody in Italy and there are probably many actors you could use for this game. Just for fun, let’s say it’s Giuseppe Battiston.
My New Game: The 6 Degrees of Giuseppe Battiston ( Sei Gradi di Giuseppe Battiston).
First, pick a random actor – Let’s try it with my favorite, Luigi LoCascio. Battiston was in Don’t Tell with Luigi in 2005 so – game over. Luigi LoCascio has a Battiston number of 1 and that was too easy. Let’s try again.
How about someone everyone knows,like Roberto Benigni. Nice try, but again too easy. Battiston was in Benigni’s 2005 The Tiger And The Snow, so Benigni has a Battiston degree of 1. This isn’t much of a game with Giuseppe Battiston. Has everyone in the world acted with him? Maybe it would be more challenging if we tried to see the most degrees that we could get away from him. Or just someone he hasn’t worked with.
But I’ll try one more time with actor/director/funny man Carlo Verdone. Maybe FINALLY someone who has not worked with Battiston. (Or am I forgetting something? Let me know.)
Assuming that it’s correct that they have never worked on the same project, it’s still easy to connect them.
Carlo Verdone was in Maledetto il giorno che t’ho incontrato with Margherita Buy in 1992. Margherita Buy was in Giorni e Nuvole (Days and Clouds) with Battiston in 2007. Carlo Verdone has a Battiston number of 2.
“What’s the point?”, you’re probably asking right now. Maybe the point is that I have too much time on my hands. (I really don’t.) And maybe the point is that Giuseppe Battiston is in everything. Whatever the reason, let me show you that we can even play with Kevin Bacon.
Giuseppe Battiston played in Notizie degli scavi with Ambra Angiolini in 2010 (grade 1), who played with Raoul Bova in Immaturi in 2011 (grade 2), who played with Angelina Jolie in The Tourist (grade 3), who played with Brad Pitt in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (grade 4), who played with Kevin Bacon in Sleepers in 1996 (grade 5).
Ecco fatto – done! Giuseppe Battiston is 5 degrees from Kevin Bacon!
I Love Italian Everything 