Something has changed for something is not the same 鈥� he is for 2025.
The magazine’s pick was announced Monday night on 鈥淭he Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.鈥� Bailey takes the mantle from 鈥淭he Office鈥� and 鈥淛ack Ryan鈥� star , who was the 2024 selection.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge honor,鈥� Bailey, 37, told the magazine. 鈥淥bviously, I鈥檓 incredibly flattered. And it鈥檚 completely absurd.鈥�
Bailey had audiences swooning as Prince Fiyero in his 2024 big-screen debut in 鈥淲icked,鈥� the popular movie musical in which he proudly urges fellow students to join him in his shallowness. The second half arrives in theaters Nov. 21.
He dripped with charm as Lord Anthony Bridgerton on Netflix鈥檚 鈥淏ridgerton,鈥� and earned a 2024 Emmy nomination for his role in the Showtime series 鈥淔ellow Travelers.鈥� Most recently, he starred in which came out in July.
Bailey told Fallon that the title was an 鈥渉onor of a lifetime.”
鈥淚鈥檓 sort of thrilled that People magazine have invited someone in 鈥� bestowed this honor on someone who can really cherish the value of a sexy man,” he said.
Bailey told that he’s known he wanted to be an actor since he was 5 years old and his grandmother took him to see a production of the musical 鈥淥liver!鈥� Within two years he had achieved that dream, performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
He’s had plenty of stage credits since then, including starring in Shakespeare鈥檚 Richard II in London earlier this year.
Bailey, who has spoken openly about being a gay actor, founded The Shameless Fund, which helps to support LGBTQ+ organizations.
鈥淚 know the LGBT sector is under immense threat at the moment,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 been amazing to meet people who have the expertise and see potential that I could have only dreamed of.鈥�
The first Sexiest Man Alive was Mel Gibson in 1985. Other past recipients include Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John F. Kennedy Jr., David Beckham, Michael B. Jordan, John Legend, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Rudd, Pierce Brosnan and
Bailey, who will be the cover story in People’s edition coming out Friday, had to stay tight-lipped about the news. But he admitted to the magazine that he couldn’t keep it a complete secret 鈥� he shared the news with his dog, Benson, who will also be featured in the magazine.
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