Something has changed for Wicked star Jonathan Bailey something is wrong – he is People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive for 2025.
The magazine's selection was announced Monday night on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Bailey has taken up the mantle of “The Office” and “Jack Ryan” star John Krasinskiwhich was selected for 2024.
“It’s a huge honor,” Bailey, 37, told the magazine. “Obviously, I'm incredibly honored. And it's completely absurd.”
Audiences swooned over Bailey as Prince Fiyero in his 2024 big-screen debut in the hit musical Wicked, in which he proudly encourages fellow students to join him in his superficiality. The second half will hit theaters on November 21.
He was full of charm as Lord Anthony Bridgerton in the Netflix series “Bridgertons” and received a 2024 Emmy Award nomination for his role in the Showtime series “Hitchhikers.” Most recently he starred in “Jurassic World Reborn.” which came out in July.
Bailey told Fallon the title 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,” he said.
Bailey told People that he knew he wanted to be an actor from the age of 5, and his grandmother took him to a production of the musical “Oliver!” Within two years, he realized this dream by performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Since then he has had a variety of stage credits, including the title role in Shakespeare's Richard II in London earlier this year.
Bailey, an openly gay actor, 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.”
The first Sexiest Man Alive was Mel Gibson in 1985. Other past honorees have included 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.
