Kevin Bacon has adapted his ‘Six Degrees’ game to support social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic

In the pre-coronavirus days, Kevin Bacon was used a symbol to show how interconnected the world is via the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game, which revolves around the idea that everyone is linked to one another by six people or less.

Now, the actor is using the game’s concept to help encourage social distancing in a time of a worldwide pandemic.

Bacon, who hails from Philly, this week started advocating a social media campaign known as #IStayHomeFor. As part of that initiative, the actor is asking followers and fellow celebrities to use social media to tag six friends whom they are staying home for during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Hi folks. You know me, right? I’m technically only six degrees away from you,” Bacon said in an Instagram post. “Right now, like people around the world, I’m staying home because it saves lives and it is the only way we’re going to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.”

In the clip, Bacon cited wife Kyra Sedgwick as one of his reasons for staying home, and went on to tag celebrities including fellow Philadelphian Kevin Hart, Jimmy Fallon, and Demi Lovato.

“The more folks the merrier — we’re all connected by various degrees (trust me, I know!),” Bacon wrote. “Let’s use this 6 Degree thing to do some good!”

That’s something of a change of tune from Bacon’s past attitude regarding the Six Degrees game. Previously, in 2014, he said he was “horrified” by the concept, and considered it a “giant joke at my expense.”

“I appreciate it now,” he said at a panel at that year’s SXSW festival. “But I was very resistant to it.”

Earlier this year, the actor also launched a podcast via Spotify, “The Last Degree of Kevin Bacon,” that plays off the famous game’s name.

“So many of us are staying home for those who can’t,” Bacon wrote in a later post . “That you all for sharing. And keep ‘em coming.”