Something has changed for Wicked star Jonathan Bailey, something's wrong – he's People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in 2025.
The magazine's selection was announced Monday evening at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Bailey takes the robe from Office And Jack Ryan star John Krasinski, drafted for 2024.
“It’s a huge honor,” Bailey, 37, said. told the magazine. “Obviously I'm incredibly honored. And this is completely absurd.”
Audiences swooned over Bailey as Prince Fiyero in his big screen debut in 2024. Wickeda popular musical in which he proudly encourages his fellow students to join him in its superficiality. The second half will hit theaters on November 21.
He also exuded charm as Lord Anthony Bridgerton in the Netflix series. Bridgertonand received a 2024 Emmy Award nomination for his role in the Showtime series. Travel companions. Most recently he starred in Rebirth of Jurassic Worldwhich came out in July.
Online, Bailey won the hearts of fans with his British charm and became one of Internet guys.
Bailey told Fallon that the title “People” was “the honor of a lifetime.”
“I'm kind of thrilled that People magazine has invited someone – given this honor to someone who really appreciates the value of a sexy man,” said Bailey, who has been open about being gay. This makes him the first openly gay person to receive the title.
Bailey also founded The Shameless Fund, which helps support LGBTQ+ organizations.
“I know the LGBT sector is under enormous threat right now,” he said. “So it was amazing to meet people who have experience and see potential that I could only dream of.”
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Sarah-Tai Black and Roxanne Hadadi review the new Canadian film My Old Ass, a coming-of-age time-traveling drama to surprising effect. Additionally, after People magazine named John Krasinski the “Sexiest Man Alive,” Elamin was joined by culture critic and Vulture writer Nicholas Cua to discuss the online backlash to the announcement and whether similar claims from mainstream publications are still relevant.
Bailey told People that he knew he wanted to be an actor since he was five years old, and his grandmother took him to see a production of a musical. Oliver! Within two years, he realized this dream by performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Since then he has had numerous stage credits, including the title role in a Shakespeare play. Richard II in London earlier this year.
The first Sexiest Man Alive was Mel Gibson in 1985. Other past honorees include Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John F. Kennedy Jr., David Beckham, Michael B. Jordan, John Legend, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Rudd, Pierce Brosnan and Patrick Dempsey.
Bailey, who will be the featured story in People's issue out Friday, had to remain tight-lipped about the news. But he admitted to the magazine that he couldn't keep it a complete secret – he shared the news with his dog Benson, who will also be featured in the magazine.
